Diverging Redemptions
by Emersonian
Summary: Set after the events of DESCENDANTS 3. After weeks of self-loathing, Audrey runs away to help Gothy Gothel find her missing sibling. An adventure consisting of traps, trips to different worlds and inhuman creatures that eventually lead Audrey to face the worst dangers in her life: dark forces after her life and the devil on her shoulder who still calls her his Queen of Mean.
1. A Soul In Despair

Chapter 1: Soul in Despair

(_**Author's note: I've been hesitating to write this fanfic because I was hoping to finish my other Descendants fanfic, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PENNA DE MORT. Still, ideas are coming to me ever since the third Descendants movie. So while I'm still writing the other fanfic, pretend that everything I wrote in my previous Descendants fanfic never occurred. This story is taking place after Descendants 3**_.)

It's probably very frequent that nobody ever images the possibility of them having to sit in an interrogation room. Nobody would think that they'd have to sit on some cold chair and endure the personal questions imposed by the detective.

At this stage Auradon was in, nobody was surprised that the Huns took a lot of proper careers in the Auradonian police force ever since Mal and Ben permanently destroyed the Isle of the Lost's barrier during their betrothal party. The Huns were very good trackers, soldiers, and occasional negotiators. Nobody was surprised when Ben negotiated with Shan-Yu into giving him a position as chief detective.

But the idea that Shan-Yu would have to interrogate _Princess Audrey_ of all the people?

It was probably around 11am on a Thursday when Shan-Yu stepped into the interrogation room to question Audrey. The princess wasn't being arrested for some crime she did, but many were… concerned about her when she came back from yet again another absence. She hadn't left on her own nor had she been kidnapped or escorted. Her parents and friends didn't know where she had gone. She had changed, but not for the wrong nor good reasons.

"Here's some coffee." He placed one of the two mugs he had brought over in front of Audrey. "I heard you like dark coffee now."

"Thank you." Audrey no longer sounded sarcastic, cheerful, or even condescending as she took her mug. From Shan-Yu's perspective, the princess now had the same indifferent behavior his own offspring had at dinnertime.

"You aren't in trouble. You know that, right?" He asked.

She merely nodded.

"We're just worried about you. You've been gone for nearly three months, you got yourself a new crowd, and you gained new talents. I myself am a parent, so I know that it's like to talk with a teenager with coping problems."

Audrey shrugged.

"This may be long…" Shan-Yu leaned forward on his chair and clasped his fingers together. "So tell me. What happened?"

"The short version or the long version?"

"The long version. I like to hear stories… until I detect the lies."

Audrey nodded and sat properly on her chair. "It's very complicated. I can definitely tell you that it all began weeks after my rampage… weeks after the party when the barrier was brought down… When the semester started, and Carlos…"

_Back in early September_

Carlos had died.

It was only during a meeting when the royal fiancés discussed their plans for their wedding in the upcoming spring that Carlos De Vil had collapsed during the meeting. The years of poor health on the Isle of the Lost didn't do wonders for his own health, and to make things worse, the temporary moments as a stone statue had worsened his condition. The scientists and mages called it an unfortunate medical situation, but most of the biased minds had an easier way of expressing their sadness and anger.

Audrey was to blame.

Jane had been so devastated when her beloved had died, and the mere idea that Audrey's magic was enough to worsen his condition convinced Jane enough. The girl was angered enough that she banned the princess from attending Carlos' funeral. The idea that the former Queen of Mean was responsible for the death of one the beloved VKs was enough for the public to ostracize and outright alienate Audrey. People avoided speaking to her wherever she walked. Classmates cluttered into one spot so that way they'd keep their distance from Audrey in class. Despite Mal and Evie's protests, the majority of the Auradon Prep cheerleading squad were convinced enough that she'd hex them, so they kicked Audrey out of the team. Her friends (whatever was left of them) tried their best to support her, but Audrey was now overwhelmed by self-loathing and guilt that she primarily locked herself in her room to avoid contact with anyone.

Somewhere on a Monday evening, she managed to sneak out of Auradon Prep and make her way to the local graveyard. Knowing that even the florists hated her at the moment, Audrey contended with picking wildflowers as she walked by foot to the graveyard. By the time Audrey reached the graveyard, the moonlight was shining over Carlos's grave. The sculptors had designed his memorial statue to represent him holding Dude after the first time they met. Various bouquets were laid out, ranging from simple bouquets like the one Audrey placed and fancy bouquets. The Auradon Prep tourney and ROAR team had even placed Carlos' old jerseys in glass boxes.

A branch cracking alerted Audrey. Hopefully it wasn't some local mourner. She'd be thrown out of the graveyard while rocks would be thrown at her. A tingling sensation ached her left hand.

"No, no, no…" She shook her hand when she saw the pink-colored glow staining her skin. When the footsteps approached, she shoved her hand within the confinements of her pink-colored sleeve. The footsteps got louder and… a stag came out. Most people would freak out when they saw a red-colored stag with mahogany black horns that shine in the dark, but Audrey sighed in relief.

"Oh, it's just you." She pulled out her hand when the tingling stopped. Audrey was familiar with that stag. Ever since she was freed from the influence of Maleficent's scepter and faced weeks of solitude, the red stag was her only companion whenever she took lonely walks in the secluded parts of the forests. It would appear and disappear at its leisure, but its presence always made Audrey feel a tad better.

"I don't know what to think anymore," Audrey sighed. The stag walked up to the batch of bouquets and started pulling out flowers with its teeth. "Don't do that! They're for Carlos!"

The stag ignored her. Fortunately, instead of eating them, it carried the flowers over to Audrey. Audrey didn't move as the animal dropped the flowers on her lap and decided to sit next to her. The princess was touched that the stag wanted to cheer her up, but she placed the flowers that didn't belong to her back with the others.

"You're very sweet… but you know I can't." Audrey's hand caressed the stag's fur from its head down to its neck. "I don't know what to think anymore. Everyone is looking for someone to blame; I still feel that way even though I'm to blame a bit."

The stag gave her some kind of snorting sound.

"Hey! Don't use that language!" Audrey never really understood why, but somehow in the last few weeks, she managed to understand the creature without even speaking deer. "Sure, my grandmother had high expectations… and my parents are never there… and I acted self-entitled because it's all I'm good at." She sighed. "You know in the end, it's a good thing my family's goals were never accomplished. Mal will definetly be a better queen than I am as a person."

The stag made some kind of sound and gave Audrey a gentle lick on the cheek. "Aw, you're sweet. But I told you to stop calling me that."

The creature kept insisting and gave her more licks. Audrey laughed a bit: "You're funny, you know that? But I wouldn't. Believe me, even if I had the methods, I wouldn't turn you human just because you keep calling me 'my queen'. You got to admit, I'd be losing my sanity. Besides…" She raised her hands, further revealing the inner pink glow in them. "You know I can't reveal this to the others."

A terrible secret Audrey had to hide. Just barely after Mal's father Hades had awakened her from her coma, Audrey had secretly discovered that not all of the magic had disappeared. The scepter's magic had abandoned some minor sparkles that ended up becoming parasites for Audrey. Audrey had tried everything, but it wouldn't disappear. Eventually, despite how unhealthy it was and that no one else, not even Mal or the Fairy Godmother, knew that Audrey still had magic on her, Audrey had to rely on gloves to hide it in public. At least with the stag, she didn't have to worry about hiding her hands from it.

"What do you think I should do?"

The stag made a sound.

"Leave?" Audrey frowned. "Where do you think I'd go? And for what?" She got up and started making her way. "At this rate, I'm not sure I know what I want in my life!"

The stag gave her a meaningful look and watched from a distance as Audrey made her way by foot through the woods to get back to the school.

Audrey: _Back then, I would have laughed if people told me,_

_That I'd become the Queen of Mean._

_But since this has happened to me,_

_I have trouble proving that I went clean._

_What am I now?_

_Besides a princess that brought in shame?_

_I know why they never did nor will bow,_

_And I further ruined my family's name._

_Yet maybe out there is the redemption I never knew I'd need._

_Maybe an adventure out there will forgive my bad deed._

_It's evident now that my family doesn't give much damn._

_They never cared and never will if I think I am_

_A soul in despair!_

_In need of repair!_

_A soul in DESPAIR!_

_Discovering places that nobody knew were there,_

_Fulfilling tasks that would show them that I care._

Audrey had reached the bridge just above the Enchanted Lake. Even in the moonlight, she could see her lonely reflection in the lake that rested numerous feet under her.

Audrey: _Maybe finally find some angel who'd truly devote to me,_

_Who'd truly be there for me… even though I'm beastly._

_Maybe decide what to do about the magic within me._

_I don't want, but it's part of me, and I no longer want to be…_

_A soul in despair!_

_With a magical flare!_

_A soul in DESPAIR!_

As Audrey ran further in her path, a trail of pink magic escaped her fingers. She didn't notice it staining the tree's leaves, the moonlight illuminating them like a ceiling of crystals, or growing the flowers into full, glowing bloom

Audrey: _Where is my redemption?_

_Where is the real attention?_

_Where is the true attraction?_

_Am I going in the right direction? _

_I'm scared of what awaits me, but I'll take the dare!_

_I must prove that I don't want to be a soul in despair!_

…

It was probably around midnight when Audrey finally reached Auradon Prep, walked her silent way through the dark hallway, and found out that somebody had broken into her room. Ironically, nothing was stolen, but she was surprised to find a VK sitting on her bed with a pile of books from the school library.

The VK could only be roughly seventeen turning eighteen, perhaps the same age as Audrey. A red tunic with a golden beaded collar covered her black mini-skirt, which covered her red leggings bearing patterns of golden flower petals. Her boots looked like a hybrid of combat and high-heeled boots, suggesting that she didn't give much damn about current fashion trends. Her messy black hair was partially curly yet had a nice shiny effect to it as a red ribbon held it back in a ponytail that reached past her shoulders. It was only when Audrey closed the door that the VK raised her brown eyes up from the book she was skimming through.

"I'm sorry," Audrey apologized. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"I broke into your room for solitary research and _you're_ the one apologizing for interrupting me?" The VK scoffed. "Wow. And I thought Auradonian princesses lacked dignity."

Audrey looked at the VK confusingly. "You make it sound like reading is a crime."

"I suppose… Given the situation, I'm in…" The VK paused when she noticed Audrey's stare. It wasn't the kind that was impatiently waiting for her to leave, but the kind that suggested she was too depressed to even care what others thought of her. The VK moved some books out of the way and patted on the mattress. "Sit. You look exhausted."

Audrey didn't react much. For one, a stranger was asking her to sit on her own bed, but at the same time the VK behaved like she had no clue who Audrey was. Audrey just went for that small act of kindness and went to sit next to the girl. The proximity gave Audrey an exposure to the unusual flowery perfume the girl wore.

"Proper formalities." The VK held out her hand. "I'm Gothy. Mother Gothel's daughter."

That explained the girl's unusual sense of style.

"I'm Audrey." Audrey shook hands with Gothy. "Sleeping Beauty's daughter."

Gothy frowned at her. "More like Sleep Anxiety's daughter." She tapped on the tiredness marks Audrey had under her eyes. "What happened? You look like you pulled all-nighters."

Audrey was surprised. "You don't know what happened? You didn't hear what happened back in August?"

Gothy shrugged. "I didn't have a television back on the Isle. My mother spends nearly every blight she has for beauty products to hide her wrinkles. And most of my free time… Actually, I don't have any free time. Every second I spent back on the Isle was to try to make money."

Audrey got a bit distracted from Gothy and took a peak at the majority of the books Gothy was looking. "Nearly everything is about Corona… Rapunzel's kingdom…"

"Now, before you ask, I am not going on some rampage of vengeance in my mother's name!" Gothy groaned an slouched on one of the pink pillows. "Mother Gothel barely cares of anything I do…"

Audrey nodded. "I understand… But then why do you want to go to Corona?"

Gothy got off the bed. She checked to make sure nobody was at the other sides of the windows. She locked them and shielded them with the fancy curtains. She crossed the room to reach the door and double-check that the hallways were empty. Once she did, she locked the door.

"That serious?" Audrey asked.

Gothy cautiously turned to Audrey. "Can I trust you to not tell anyone? _Especially _Mal?"

Audrey cringed a bit. It must be serious if Mother Gothel's daughter did not seek the involvement of Maleficent's daughter. Still, all the princess could do was nod. Gothy sighed and pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment. She sat down next to Audrey and showed her the parchment's content, which displayed the sketched portrait of a woman holding a child on her lap while a birthday cake with four candles rested on a small table. Given the scent of the parchment, it looked like the portrait could only be a few decades old. Given the old woman's close appearance to what she had seen in museums, Audrey guessed this portrait was of Mother Gothel when she relied on the Sun Flower. The small girl, however, she wasn't sure.

"It's Mother Gothel… with my half-sister Cassandra."

Audrey took the paper in her hands to have a proper look. After some comparison, she did see that the illustrated characters and Gothy matched in hair and nose formatting, but Gothy had eyes darker than them.

"This is the only thing we have her. Mother Gothel doesn't know this, but I didn't leave the Isle of the Lost to transfer to Auradon Prep. I left to find Cassandra… and leave. I don't care where I end up going, but any place with my sister is better than all this."

Audrey gave Gothy the parchment back. "How come your sister isn't on the Isle? I thought they banished all the villain and their offspring there. Or did she leave when Mal and Ben destroyed the barrier?"

"That's the thing. I don't know." Gothy shook her head. "Mother Gothel never bothered, but outside work, I spent nearly every day of my life trying to track Cassandra, but she's nowhere on the Isle. And…" Gothy bit her lip. "All Mother Gothel ever told me about my sister was that she abandoned her on the night she kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby."

Audrey felt sympathy. To think that her grandmother was angered by the fact that Maleficent kept her from raising Aurora properly, which explained why Queen Leah took over raising Audrey while the latter's parents were busy with royal duties. And here was Gothy Gothel practically telling her 'my mom ditched my older sibling for some princess who made her young!'

"I looked through all these books I could find on Corona. History, social studies, even a freaking address book, but Cassandra is nowhere on them! I even found a record on recorded portraits of criminals and civilian censuses, but she isn't among them. And it's not like I walk up to the monarchies to ask them if they know where Cassandra is! They'll start thinking that she's a rogue criminal that escaped their watch for more than 20 years!"

Audrey thought about it. A regular person would talk to an adult or a trusted person on it, but knowing how some potentially dangerous threats even scared Mal, the last thing needed was for Auradon to think that a villainess' daughter had been rogue for decades. Audrey knew that Queen Rapunzel was generous, but what were the odds that she'd help out in finding the missing biological daughter of her former warden? Still… Not to mention that Audrey _really_ needed to find a reason to go…

"I think we could find out where Cassandra is if we snooped through the Hidden Archives of the Royal Corona Family. All the royal families have hidden archives ever since Auradon was created. It can only be accessed by a monarch, but still… It could work."

"And you know this how?" Gothy gave her a skeptical frown.

"There are hidden archives in my parents' castle. Only they can access it." _And it's very unlikely that I ever will_, she thought. "You need someone to help you navigate around the lands. If you let me, I can help you find your sister."

Gothy still looked unconvinced. "Do you know what I do to those who make a promise without sincerity?"

"You stab their love interests with a knife?"

"Ha! No." She pulled out a pair of silver scissors. "I threaten to cut their hair and turn them into wigs if they try to betray me!"

Audrey didn't know what got the best of her, but she laughed at the attempted threat Gothy had tried to pull. "You think that will scare me? I spent a week brainwashed by Maleficent's scepter, turned Mal into a hag, threw a sleeping spell on Auradon, turned Ben into a beast, animated suits of armor, turned people to stone, and almost died. And because of my idiocy, my friend Carlos is dead." Her laughter turned into a miserable grimace. "So go ahead and threaten to cut my hair. I will help you, but I'm no longer a sissy princess that cries when she breaks a nail."

Gothy stared at her. Eventually, she smirked, put away her scissors, and eagerly shook Audrey's hand getting agitated by a tense pink glow.

"Well, Princess. This might be the beginning of a rebellious friendship. Now let's go find you some pants!"


	2. Leaving Most Things Behind

Chapter 2: Leaving Most Things Behind

They couldn't just run away immediately. Supplies were needed. The best that Gothy could guarantee was that they'd make a run for it in the dark of the night, after classes were over.

"Make up any excuses you can think of to explain my absences," Gothy told Audrey before the two went to their Tuesday morning classes. "I got to get the essentials. Hiking bags, non-perishable foods, sleeping gear…"

"I can grab some first aid kits from the infirmary during the break," Audrey suggested. "And once classes are done, I'll go to the ATM to take out all my credit card money into cash."

"You sure?" Gothy frowned.

"My family is the one managing my bank account. Do you want them to track us by checking into my online account to see which bread-and-breakfast we go to?"

Gothy blinked at her. "Are you sure you're a princess?"

"What commoner carries more than 900 dollars on a credit card made of gold?"

That answer was fine enough for Gothy. "You got decent clothes to wear for the trip? There's no way you're wearing fancy rags when we're out."

"I do have yoga clothes."

Gothy sighed. "The gendered clothing in this country is so primitive. Keep the pants and shoes; I'll find you some decent top that doesn't make you look like cotton candy."

It was one of the strange things about Gothy Gothel. She didn't exactly push for details about what had happened to Audrey and gave to her the closest to kindness slack, but the tone she used was enough to inform Audrey that she DEFINITELY will not have the time to act like the princess she used to be.

Morning classes were torture. Thanks to her mistakes, Audrey had to take Remedial Goodness for two straight hours. Though Fairy Godmother did give her a smidge of sympathy, the students in the room sat as far away from her as if she were some rat bearing a plague. When Fairy Godmother asked if anybody knew why Gothy was absent, Audrey lied by saying that Gothy told her she went back to the Isle to give Mother Gothel some proper medicine after the villainess called to inform her daughter of coughing problems she was having. Fairy Godmother nodded and added Gothy's absence to her clipboard.

It was rather warm and sunny at lunchtime, but while everyone stampeded to enjoy lunch outside, Audrey ate her sandwich and tea in the bathroom closest to the infirmary. Once she threw away her leftovers, she waited for the right moment until the nurse left for the lunch break. Audrey waited for the hallway to be completely silent as she used her silver hairclip to unlock the door. She wasted no time and immediately filled her bag with what she could on bandages, disinfectant, cold medications, and a guidebook for more serious injuries. Just when she walked away from the nurse's office as fast as she could, her cellphone beeped. When she heard footsteps approaching, she made a run back to the bathroom. After locking herself in a cabinet, she saw that her family had left her a series of voicemails.

"_Audrey, it's Grammy. Please call me back. You haven't spoken at all for weeks."_

"_Audrey, it's Mother and Father. We know you went through a lot. We know we've made our mistakes… Please, just talk to us."_

"_Audrey, it's your Grandpa Hubert! Surely you remember! What happened to you? Where's my sweet little songbird of a granddaughter?"_

An average person would come to his or her senses and answer the voicemails of the relatives, but Audrey just pressed the screen to delete the voicemails. She really couldn't talk to her family at all nowadays. She didn't even have the guts to yell at their face for how her parents' lacking presences, her paternal grandfather spoiling her, and her grandmother's helicopter custody had damaged her. Her grandfather Stephan was dead since she was a toddler, most of her friends had already graduated, Carlos was dead, Jane no longer talked to her, and nobody else wanted her around.

At this rate, leaving to help Gothy was the only thing that would keep her sane.

_Later in the evening_

It was the dead of night again. Gothy cautiously opened the door to Audrey's room and double-checked that the hallways were empty. She gestured for Audrey to come out and follow her. Once they reached the front door, Gothy shielded herself with a black hooded cloak that once belonged to her mother. It was merely a stroke of luck, but Audrey had on her the cloak her own mother had once worn while being escorted back home. Both cloaks were dark enough to shield their hiking bags and the girls' forms as they ran as quickly as they could out of the campus. They had to be cautious: it was still early in the tourney season and the new school team was still practicing. Still, Audrey and Gothy managed to sneak their way into the woods. It was tricky to navigate through the trees with their flashlights, but Audrey managed to take Gothy to the river.

"Corona is located near a bay located on the northern parts of the land, roughly before you reach the Auradon Wall," Audrey told Gothy. "If we go upstream, we… What are you doing?" Audrey paused when she saw Gothy splashing her face and soaking her clothes with water from the river.

"Hiding my scent. I don't want that talking mutt to sniff us out."

"You mean Dude?" Then Audrey recalled what her friends told her about Dude being able to sniff out Ben when Mal's group and Uma's gang allied to find him. If Gothy was right about getting the authorities involved being a poor idea, the last thing they'd need was for Dude to sniff them out. Audrey imitated Gothy and soaked herself.

"C'mon," she told Gothy. "Let's go find your sister."

…

They had walked for a day and a half. They walked strictly in the river, so that their scents would be lost. Eventually, the river got deeper. As time progressed, Audrey and Gothy felt the water rising. By the time it was sundown on Thursday, the water was reaching their waist level. They had to climb their way out of the water before it could drown them and their belongings. The moment she reached mainland, Audrey landed face-first in a puddle of mud.

"No time for a mud facial, Princess." Gothy pulled her up and rubbed the mud off Audrey's face.

"I'm fine!" Audrey pushed Gothy's hand away.

"You're not fine. You're tired, you haven't eaten in days…"

"You didn't want us to make a break to eat."

"We're not on vacation. And in case you've forgotten, Princess, I'm from the Isle of the Lost. I barely have enough to eat." She then poked Audrey roughly on the stomach. "Unlike that well-fed fatness you carry on the other side of your skin."

"No, this is recent!" Audrey protested. "I had a bit of emotional eating…"

"I don't care." Gothy's eyes darted the area. "OK, judging by the wildlife, this place is rather secluded. There should be a creek nearby. We can set camp there and I'll worry about drying our clothes and heating up some dinner while you take a bath."

Audrey's mouth dropped. "You expect me to bathe in the wilderness?"

"What? You're worried about the local fish ogling your well-fed plumpness?" Gothy gave an amused smirk.

"No! Did you ever think that there could be… other travelers out in these parts who might have something else going on if they saw some random teenager bathing in the woods?" Still, Audrey couldn't help but have her own hand pinch her side. Was Gothy being serious about her 'well-fed fatness?'

"That's a surprisingly meaningful statement, but it's Auradon. Who do you will be strolling around here at nighttime?" Gothy pulled Audrey into the concealment of the trees. "But seriously, you reek of mud, sweat, and well-fed fat for nearly two days. I'm not having you stench my cooking."

…

To Gothy's relief, Audrey wasn't hopeless with helping her set up camp and shelter under some oak trees just a feet away from the creek. By the time the moon lit the night sky, Gothy took round trips between the creek and the camp to thoroughly wash their clothes by hand and hang them over a branch to dry. She had packed some clothes, so she had some black tunic and red pants on while she took care of assembling hazelnuts for the soup she intended on cooking.

"You'd better be cleaning yourself!" She shouted over the crickets.

"What are you, my mom?" Audrey still clutched to her cloak like a towel as she dipped her foot in the creek. It was rather cool, but still, not cool enough to tempt Audrey enough.

"No, I'm not going to be your Goth Mom!" Gothy shouted over her chopping. "Now clean yourself up, Princess!"

"Alright, alright!"

Audrey threw her cloak over a branch and finally let herself slip into the water. This would probably be seen as a scene of ridicule: a princess, so used to relaxing in bathtubs that would drown her in bubbles of chamomile and roses, was voluntarily rubbing her skin clean in some creek in the night of a forest far from the places she knew. It was the opposite for Audrey. Ever since she had been saved from her near-death coma, Audrey kept having nightmares of drowning in a river with ghosts trying to drag her deeper. Mal and Hades had tried to reassure that it was just the temporary result of her nearly being dragged in the River Styx after she was defeated, but Audrey had trouble getting used to baths ever since. There were times when she was too afraid to shower because she feared the ghosts would pour down and drag her down the drain.

Oddly enough, Audrey managed to find a strange sense of relaxation as the cool currents hit her gently. For some minutes, she managed to sit in the creek and just watch the moonshine over the waters like diamonds and listening to the diversity of animal sounds in the wilderness. A strange sigh came out her and her eyes darted to her watery reflection…

A gasp of shock escaped her lips and she caused splashes out of surprise. She could have sworn she saw the reflection of some redheaded, red-coated man standing behind and smiling at her. The reflected smile unnerved her. It was neither predatory nor enchanting. It wasn't a menacing smile nor one of comfort. In a sense, the man's reflection was giving her a smile without definition.

_My Queen Of Mean_, his reflection seemed to mouth.

Out of fright, a pink blast escaped her. It landed and reduced a nearby tree into ashes. It didn't injure anyone because whoever was the owner of the reflection was nowhere.

"I must be dreaming." She shook her head. When she turned it, she saw a familiar being holding her cloak in its mouth.

"Hello, friend." Audrey smiled at the red stag. She took the cloak from its mouth and stepped out of the creek to dry herself. "I'm relieved. For a moment, I thought there was somebody else observing me."

The stag tilted its head at the tree Audrey had incinerated. Just then, Gothy came in carrying dry, folded clothes. Audrey looked at her awkwardly while Gothy darted her eyes between the pink leftovers of the burnt tree and the red stag.

"I can't leave you alone for thirty minutes, can I?"

"Look, I'm clean, but my eyes were playing tricks on me and I shot a tree down because I thought I saw someone else's reflection…"

"Oh, so you turned the pervert into a stag?" Gothy whistled in amusement. "Nice Artemis moves on the Acteon."

"No! I already know that stag since… my problems started." Audrey took the clean magenta shirt and blue pants Gothy offered her. "It just shows up whenever I'm in the woods." Audrey paused and stared back at the stag. "Wait. You never show up when I'm around other people."

The stag gave her… whatever was the stag equivalent of a shrug and just trotted its way to the campsite.

"I can't believe I'm actually going to have to ask you about your problems over dinner," Gothy sighed in frustration.

…

Audrey had to recognize that for a VK who never put her foot in a high-cuisine, first class kitchen, Gothy knew how to cook what was perhaps the best hazelnut soup Audrey had ever eaten in her life. She managed to properly sit on a tree's root to drink from her cup while the stag merely relaxed by her sides. And Gothy was surprisingly a good listener, but it was only after Audrey had finished telling her of her troubles that Gothy proved more of her strange criticism.

"So let me see if I get this straight. Your mom was the most useless princess ever, your grandmother made you feel like you're only good at being a useless princess, your only ex-boyfriends are useless, and when the first ex-boyfriend proposed to his not-so-useless new girlfriend, your grandmother made you feel further useless, you tried to make yourself useful by being evil, and even though you got your senses back, everyone treats you like you're useless."

"Yeah, pretty much…" Audrey lost track of how many times Gothy had used the word 'useless'.

"At the same time, I don't get it. I mean, you're literally the princess of Sleeping Beauty's kingdom. You're supposed to be the queen of that kingdom anyway. Why did your family care so much if they thought you should be the next queen of Auradon?"

"I don't know." Audrey finished her cup. "My grandpa Hubert always kept saying that my parents primarily allowed my Grammy to prepare me while they were too busy because she didn't have that chance with my mom. You know, my grandma missed out on my mom's childhood."

"The same way Aurora is practically missing out on yours?"

Gothy's sharp question made Audrey gasp. "She didn't miss on anything!"

Gothy gave her a glare.

"OK, so she only had a quarter of her free time to give me…"

"Give me any number you want, I find your overall life pathetic." Gothy refilled their cups with hazelnut soup. "Do you even know what you'd be doing if you didn't have to endure all the helicopter parenting?"

"Not really." Audrey felt the stag resting its head on her lap and giving her a pouting look. She gave it a small smile and gave it the neck caress it was so fond of. "What about you?" She asked Gothy. "How did you figure out your life since Mother Gothel never cared about you?"

Regularly, this is a question that you shouldn't ask someone because they'd slap you at the suggestion of their parents not loving them. But Gothy, being a VK and unusually critical, didn't seem affected.

"Not that hard, really. I spent my childhood as an apprentice in Lady Tremaine's hair salon before Dizzy was old enough to work there. That's when I started doing hair services at home. Even took some interests in alchemy to learn the basics of fabricating permanent dyes. And rather than spending my money on useless materials for vanity, I saved it for when I'd look for Cassandra. But apparently, villains' currency in blights is not much when converted to Auradonian dollars." She rolled her eyes. "Economy nowadays."

"And what do you think you'll do with Cassandra once you find her? Besides staying as far away from the Isle and Auradon?"

"Maybe find ourselves some kind of cottage in a quiet area?" Gothy shrugged. "Open my own hair salon in a village? Spend nights drinking and ratting about how useless our mother was to us?"

Audrey laughed a bit at the idea of Gothy getting drunk with some dark-haired woman in a tavern. Along with the displayed cynicism, this seemed way too convenient.

"And who knows, we might be able to fit a guest room in the cottage. You could always stop by to visit."

"Really?" Audrey was surprised. "I won't be too useless?" She gave an unexpected smirk.

"Please, I can't even leave you alone for some minutes just to bathe," Gothy replied in sarcastic humor. The stag lifted its head to glare at Gothy. "Fine, I suppose the Bloody Bambi can come along too. A long as it stays away from the laundry."

_The next day, back in Auradon_

"Ow!"

"Please keep still Mal!"

It wasn't even late in the morning and Evie was having trouble measuring the fabric on Mal for her wedding dress fitting. Evie had posted a blog with all the 365 ideas she had for designs to gain some public opinions and more than three-quarters had gotten popular.

"Ow!" Mal yelped again when Evie poked another pin.

"Mal, I need you to stop moving! I need to measure out the fabric to see if a strapless design is the best fit for your wedding dress!" Not to mention that she had to design the purple dresses for the bridesmaids and many of the people who had accepted the wedding invitations in advance were also ordering their outfits for the event. Evie was stressed.

"I'm sorry, Evie. I'm just worried about Audrey."

The mention of their friend actually managed to de-stress Evie.

"Is it because of what happened with Carlos? We did tell her she wasn't responsible."

"That… I don't know why everyone in Auradon is quick to outcast her just for her brief time of evil. We already told them it was a…"

"Lack of judgment?" Evie finished the sentence.

"Yes."

"Did you try calling her?"

"I texted. I even asked Fairy Godmother to check on her… I'm worried that Audrey is hurting herself more than the others are."

It was then that a massive series of doorbell ringing alerted them. Such an amount could only mean that something was serious. Evie pulled the fabric off Mal and the latter got dressed as fast as she could. The two rushed to the front door and opened it. They were surprised, not in a bad way but in a startled fashion, at the last person they imagined ringing at the door of a VK's cottage.

"Queen Aurora?" Evie was quick to curtsy Sleeping Beauty. Mal didn't. The queen looked like she was on the brink of tears, and if she came ringing to them, it could only mean…

"Please tell me Audrey isn't missing again." Mal shook her head.

"You mean she isn't here either?" Aurora was getting a panic attack.

"We'd better get you inside, your Highness." Mal gently ushered the queen inside and escorted her to a chair in the kitchen. Evie immediately went on to heat up some tea.

"Chamomile or peppermint, your Highness?" Evie asked.

"Chamomile, please." Aurora struggled to hold back her tears.

"Calm down." It was ironic, seeing the daughter of Maleficent calming down Sleeping Beauty was rather ironic. "Please tell us what happened. I really hope your not being serious about Audrey going missing."

"Because the last time she went missing, she turned evil?"

"No, because I noticed that she hasn't been taking things well lately. She's put herself in more guilt than the other Auradonians and VKs are. I tried texting her, but she wouldn't answer."

"She didn't answer our calls either." Aurora shook her head. "We all tried to reach out to her to give her our support, but she didn't bother to answer. And when Fairy Godmother called Phillip and I last night to inform us that Audrey had missed two straight days of class, we rushed to Auradon Prep. That's when we realized that nobody noticed her disappearance."

"Did you check the entirety of the campus?"

"Five times. My mother is currently crying in Audrey's room."

"What about Fairy Cottage?" Evie suggested.

"My godmothers just searched the place at least ten times. Not even there."

"Any chance that she decided to run back home?" Mal suggested.

"My father-in-law is currently having all the guards check the castle and search through the villages. No one has seen her."

"Did you inform Ben?"

"My husband is currently on his way to the castle."

Evie bit her lip. "You don't think she went back to the museum…"

"EVIE!" Mal snapped. "How can you possibly suggest that? Audrey wouldn't go back there after her near-death experience! She's been traumatized about it for weeks!"

"Mal, green eyes…" Evie warned Mal. Maleficent's daughter noticed the angry green glow of her eyes reflecting on the nearest mirror and shook her head.

"I'm sorry." She took a deep breath.

"Thank you." Aurora nodded. "At least you know my daughter wouldn't steal those items again."

"Even if she did, it wouldn't work. Ben has the crown stored in the International Royal Archives and my mother's scepter is no longer working."

This threw off both Evie and Queen Aurora.

"No longer working?" Evie frowned.

"I'm sorry, you must confuse me. Maleficent's scepter was powerful enough to put me to sleep, petrify an entire crowd, and brainwash my daughter. How does a powerful relic… just stop working?" Aurora asked. "Maleficent's scepter isn't exactly some ordinary flashlight."

"I know, right?" Mal sighed and sat properly on her seat. "Sometime after the engagement party, I had an agreement with Fairy Godmother and Hades to double-check my mother's scepter. If it was capable of sensing Audrey's negative emotions to corrupt her when she broke in the museum, we had to make sure that it couldn't affect any of the visitors. But when we went to check on it, we noticed something amiss. The dragon's eye, the jewel that crowns the scepter, was no longer emerald envy green but charcoal black. We all tested it, but somehow, no magic came out of it. We even brought it to the Isle, but it wasn't working."

"Maybe its powers were destroyed when you fought Audrey," Evie said. "After all, you did say that Hades' ember was more powerful than Maleficent's scepter."

"Is the ember still working?" Aurora asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah. Hades and I checked. But even the god of the Greek underworld doesn't think that his powers could have nuked out those of the Mistress of All Evil. But the weirdest part was when I paid a visit to Celia's dad and he said that the scepter's power shutdown was normal."

"In what way?"

"He said 'Looks like Maleficent's time to pay her fee is coming up soon. I'd rather not be around when her friend from the other side comes to collect the fee… in blood.'"


	3. The Hidden Archives of Corona's Family

Chapter 3: The Hidden Archives of Corona's Royal Family

A drizzling rain was pouring when Audrey and Gothy managed to make their way to Corona. Still, they waited on the other side of the bay to figure out a plan. The stag, on his part, decided to go back into hiding in the forest's shadows rather than follow the girls in their attempt to break into the Hidden Archives of Corona's Royal Family.

"The Hidden Archives have only two entrances for each royal family: one that's hidden in the castle and the other underground. Both have some sort of relevance," Audrey explained.

Gothy wiped the water off the spyglass she was using to observe the castle. "Did they say where those entrances were located in Corona?"

"The one in the castle should be in that tower." Thank goodness it wasn't raining that hard, so Audrey could point at a particular medium-heighted tower. "It's the tower of Rapunzel's parents, the former king and queen. The entrance is in their bedchamber, where your mom…"

"Kidnapped Rapunzel, I know. Where's the second entrance?"

"At the port where King Eugene took Queen Rapunzel on their first boat ride for her birthday."

"I opt for the port entrance." Gothy put away her spyglass. "I'd be uncomfortable at the idea of, you know, imitating the scene of the fateful night."

Audrey patted Gothy's shoulder. "I know. But we have a problem. We can't exactly just cross the bridge. You're the offspring of Rapunzel's worst enemy and I don't need to remind you of people hating the ex- Queen of Mean."

"Can't you use your magic to make us invisible?"

"I barely know how to use it." Audrey looked around. Conveniently, she found a stranded wooden raft resting by the coast. She and Gothy rushed to it. Gothy knocked on the wood.

"It's only good enough for one trip." Gothy stated.

"That'll be enough to get to the port. Once we find out where Cassandra is, we'll figure out how to get there."

The girls struggled to cautiously lift the raft on the waters. The ancient thing shook too much when they stepped on it until they managed to find a proper seating position. Gothy grabbed the old oar and started rowing them towards the island where the kingdom stood. As they got closer to the middle of bay, Gothy noticed the cloudy horizon behind the mountains, and past that was what looked like the silhouette of a wall.

"Hey, Princess, you mentioned Auradon having a wall," Gothy said. "Why does Auradon need a wall? They already stuffed the villains on the Isle."

Audrey looked at the wall silhouette hiding behind the clouds. "I don't really know. The public isn't allowed to go anywhere near it. Apparently it's dangerous."

"Dangerous? What could possibly frighten Auradon to build a wall?"

"They didn't really build it. Magic created that hybrid from the sturdiest walls in the kingdoms. The Great Wall of China, Corona's walls, the sea wall that Queen Ariel used to have, the wall to Cinderella's castle, the wall of Camelot…"

"Are you honestly going to tell me that they literally transported all the border walls… to create some bigger wall for some reason they wouldn't say? And yet they merely zapped the Isle Of The Lost with a magical barrier?"

"Again, I don't know what's on the other side of the wall. Nobody really asks about it. We never ask about it because why should we have to ask what's beyond Auradon's limits when we had everything within the limits and the villains were locked away."

"The ideal garden of Eden." Gothy shook her head.

Gothy cautiously rowed them around the boat. Not a lot of people were out due to the mist the drizzling rain was creating, but Gothy worked her best on rowing as distantly as she could from any of the patrolling guards. Eventually, Audrey guided her underneath the main bridge. The moment they reached the mainland, the raft collapsed and drowned. Audrey ripped off the vines concealing the foundation bricks until she found a small carving of the kingdom's sun emblem. She traced the carving with her finger and the bricks surrounding it moved to form a doorway.

"Wicked." Gothy took out her flashlight and lighted the way. They crossed their way through a hallway decorated by golden pillars of suns and flowers that held up the ceiling. A light alerted them of the upcoming doorway… and upcoming footsteps alerted them to hide behind a pillar.

"Archive Librarian, please make sure to record the month-long absence my husband and I will have." Audrey recognized the voice of Queen Rapunzel.

"_The purpose of the absence, your Highness?_" A monotone voice responded.

"Inspection and collection of the finest gemstones. Eugene and I want to commission a unique dragon statue as a wedding gift for King Ben and his future queen. We'll be going to Agrabah for the finest emeralds and in Arendelle for the jeweled crocus."

"_Rather expensive, but perfect choices. The future Queen Mal will enjoy it._"

"Of course it's expensive. I would have gone for cheaper jeweled wood, but my parents are already going for a fancy commissioned crib. Don't ask."

Audrey and Gothy waited until the footsteps disappeared and a door was shut. When things got quiet, the girls snuck through the doorway. Gothy frowned when all she saw were four walls filled with cabinets and a golden flower fountain being the source of light.

"I expected something bigger."

Audrey shrugged it off. Just then, the golden flower moved as if a flower moving and revealed a robotic golden figure standing.

"_Greetings, Princess Audrey. What brings you to the Hidden Archives of Corona's Royal Family? Is there information you are seeking that your family's hidden archive does not hold?_" The figure spoke with the monotone voice that had addressed Queen Rapunzel earlier.

"Archive Librarian," Audrey greeted. "Do you know anything about Mother Gothel's daughter Cassandra? Cassandra's half-sister Gothy accompanies me. Cassandra has been missing for a long time and Gothy would very much like to reunite with her missing sister."

"Please?" Gothy asked. "I reassure you that I want nothing with Corona. I intend on leaving the Isle and Auradon for good once I find Cassandra."

"_You are in luck then. Cassandra isn't missing. She has merely left._"

Gothy's eyes widened. For a moment, she dreaded that the magical AI was suggesting that Gothy's sister had left the plane of the living.

"But she is alive. Right?" Audrey asked the Archive Librarian.

"_Evidently._"

Gothy sighed in relief.

"But she's not in Corona," Audrey continued.

"_I'm afraid I don't know the exact whereabouts of Cassandra, Princess Audrey. All that Queen Rapunzel ever said about Cassandra in my records was that she chose to leave Corona. And roughly more than twenty years ago, on the eve of Auradon's creation, Queen Rapunzel added some sort of riddled coordination that Cassandra sent her. Cassandra did not wish to be visited nor did she wish to visit, but she gave riddled directions for the queen should the kingdom be in another great peril._"

"Riddled coordination? Why not a mere street address?"

"_Those who seek refuge on the other side of the Auradon Wall provide riddled directions if they wish to break the hopes of any Auradonian seeking to find them._"

Audrey looked at Gothy, who was too shocked for words. Cassandra had never gone to the Isle nor had she stayed in Auradon because she chose to go past the wall. Into the lands preoccupied by whatever Auradon wanted to ignore. Gothy backed on a wall and slid until her butt landed on the floor. Audrey bit her lip. This was risking a lot. Chances are, the girls would have to break an international law by reaching the wall's other side. They wouldn't be receiving any help because for some unknown reason, nobody in Auradon wanted to go there.

But if Auradon was so picky, than Audrey would have to take the risk.

"Can you tell us the riddled directions of Cassandra's location?"

"_Are you certain?_"

"Yes."

"_Very well. Listen carefully._

_The forsaken daughter you seek, a dangerous quest from the start._

_Find the abused princess the king raises._

_She'll find the hybrid who phases numerous faces._

_She'll guide you to the child of the man with a third heart._

_The man with the third heart will be the one who holds the information on Cassandra's location and how you can access it._"

Gothy blinked. "My sister basically told Rapunzel to ask a bunch of people from the other side of the wall until the last one gives her the right address."

"_Pretty much. Well, if you don't have any other questions, I'll be retiring myself._" The Archive Librarian folded herself back into the fountain and water sprouted out of it. Gothy's expression suggested that she wanted to strangle the fountain AI. Audrey held her back before Gothy could decide to punch the fountain.

"We know how to find your sister!" Audrey tried to calm her down. "Isn't that at least something?"

"No! Something would have been the stupid Librarian telling me why Cassandra left! How is a stupid riddle going to help me find her in some land that not even you know?"

"Well… it will be tricky. It could take us along while, but we'll do it. At least we know we got to scale the Auradon Wall to get started. It won't be easy, but why don't we see how we can get ourselves some climbing gear?"

Gothy nodded. "OK."

"I think I spotted an equipment store somewhere on the port. Let's go there."

They left the Hidden Archives. As they did so, they didn't notice the black much that appeared out of nowhere and started to proliferate in the hallway.

_An hour later_

Gothy had to take some minutes to disguise herself: straightening her hair into a bun, adding some dirt to her jeans and skin, and switching her boots for some sneakers. Audrey lent her the necessary money and cautiously waited in an alley while Gothy went to the equipment store. Using her tricks, she managed to convince the employee working there that she was a hiker from Arcadia City, had fallen off her bike while riding to Corona without any injuries, but lost her equipment as it fell in the bay. The employee was very generous and showed her around their sales in helmets, ropes, harnesses, climbing boots, and pickaxes. She managed to buy two of each and at reasonable prices.

"Where are you planning to hike again?"

"Bald Mountain," Gothy lied through her smile.

"Gosh! I went there with my fiancée for a climb when we started dating. You can see all of Auradon from there."

"Really?"

"Yes! A magnificent view!"

Meanwhile, Audrey waited in the alley. From where she hid, she could see the main bridge. She saw the white silhouette of the royal carriage departing the kingdom. Evidently, Rapunzel and Eugene were in a rush to get the jewels for their wedding gift to Ben and Mal.

Audrey sighed. She was genuinely happy for her friends' upcoming marriage, she really was, but a pain was still present with her. At this stage, her previous relationships with princes meant nothing and it was very likely that no one in Auradon would want to line up to ask her out. Who knows? Maybe if she was lucky enough, there might be some fellow on the other side of the Auradon Wall. Audrey didn't really care anymore if it was some prince, a hero, a villain, or some beggar, but it would be nice if at least _for once_ in her life, someone could love her as she truly is.

The dinging sound of the door put her back on her feet. Gothy came out with the materials at hand and organized them in the hiking bags. "How far is the wall from here?"

"A day by car ride."

"And who on Earth would let us hitchhike in their car?"

"I was thinking of snatching a van from the car rental. I don't have enough money to buy one."

Gothy gave her a smirk. "If I weren't so focused on finding my sister and being a strong, independent individual, I'd be in love with your ironic personality right about now."

Audrey laughed nervously. Before she could say anything, an explosion came. Not the kind from gas leaks, but the kind like geysers. Audrey and Gothy peaked from the alley and saw some sort of black tar substance exploding its way out of nearly every manhole in the area.

"Make a run for it?" Audrey asked calmly.

"Duh."

They made a run for it. They ran up the streets, where crowds of people were either running upward to seek refuge at the castle or downward to reach the bridge. The girls took numerous twists and turns through the alleys to avoid having people recognize them. Eventually, when tar started filling the streets at an ankle barrel, Gothy jumped on a barrel, hung upside down from a drain, and swung Audrey up. They ran up and down the roofs and saw the tar not only spreading out through the streets but also moving its way upward. Gravity was not helping anyone. Audrey then spotted a car rental where numerous vans were spotted. Unfortunately, the moment they landed, only one thing barred them from getting to the vans.

"Uh, not you again." Audrey grimaced at the black-and-white mare with the royal saddle. The mare grimaced.

"Let me guess. One of the baby ponies of that weird palace horse?" Gothy raised an eyebrow.

"Yep."

"Probably has an ironic name?"

"Yeah, her name's Mischief."

"You two hate each other?"

"She threw me off her back when I was ten." Audrey cracked her knuckles. "Bring it."

Gothy immediately ran out of the way as Mischief galloped towards Audrey. Audrey dodged and jumped on Mischief. The mare jumped and down viciously, but Audrey hung on to the saddle.

"YIPPEE KI YAY!" Audrey taunted the horse. "You won't be throwing me off your back!"

While Audrey and Mischief engaged in a dangerous game of rodeo, Gothy inspected through every single van they had to offer. It wasn't easy. First, she had to find one that was durable enough, all-terrain, and with enough fuel to last them some days. When she managed to find a teal-colored camping van, she ran to the front desk to search for the van's keys (thank goodness the store employees had made a run for it and the keys were numbered with their matching cars' numbered plates). Once she managed to find the teal van's matching key, she grabbed some fuel containers and tires and tossed them in the back of the van.

"Audrey! Get off the damn horse!" Gothy shouted as she unlocked the passenger and driver doors.

"How? I'm beating her in the longest rodeo ever!" Audrey shouted. She was currently pulling Mischief's mane, which was driving the mare nuts.

"PRINCESS!"

Audrey thought of something. It sounded rather unpleasant, but she flicked her finger on Mischief's superior and sent a pink bolt through the mare's skin. The mare took it badly and threw Audrey off her. Audrey landed in a pile of tires while Mischief ran away crying like a foal.

"C'mon!" Gothy pulled Audrey up and dragged her to the van. "You know how to drive?"

"Eh. I'm rusty and I only have a student's permit."

"Works for me! Grab the wheel!"

The girls buckled up. Audrey managed to get the engine running and drove in rapid zigzags down the streets. As a passerby ran into a window for cover and the van nearly caused two other cars to crash for ignoring a red light, Gothy understood why Audrey claimed to be rustic. Audrey drove the van as fast as she could, and as they got closer to the city limits, they saw the tar spreading faster across the streets and the guards pulling up the bridge after the last civilians had made their way through.

"I hate to this, but you need to magic up this van!" Gothy clutched on to her seatbelt.

"I can't even control a small blast! How do you expect me to get this van over the bay?" Audrey didn't hit any halts.

"Use Maleficent's spell for enchanting rides!"

"You know it?"

"Don't tell Mal! I often snooped in their kitchen when Maleficent had me do her hair!"

"I didn't know Maleficent had hair!"

"She has them dyed so that we can't see anything past her horns! Now use that spell already! It's 'Noble steed, proud and fair, you shall take us anywhere!' And say it like you mean it!" They looked up and saw that they were dangerously approaching the port. "And do it fast! I never learned how to swim!"

Audrey inhaled a lot out of stress. As the blue water got closer, she took a better deep breath. She had to think of how much she wanted to cross the bay, how much she wanted to have the fun take them across the Auradon Wall, how much she wanted to help Gothy, and how much she wanted to live to find better meaning in herself. Gothy looked startled when Audrey's eyes suddenly glowed pink.

"_Noble steed, proud and fair, you shall take us anywhere!_"

The van drove over the docks. The girls held on for dear life in case they'd sink further, but frowned when they didn't. They looked out the van windows and saw that their vehicle was riding through the blue waters, leaving behind waves shining with pink sparkles.

"I… I did it!" Audrey was beyond shock. Did she just manage to cast a spell?

"YOU DID IT!" Gothy yelled happily. "We are home free! We are going to find Cassandra! We… are so doomed…"

Audrey wondered why Gothy suddenly lost her joy. That's when she saw the black tar waving its way out of Corona and literally slithering to catch up with the girls as the van finally reached the mainland. Audrey hit the brakes to enforce the speed and took the direction for the Auradon Wall. Despite how far she drove until the kingdom was out of sight, the tar followed them onto the main road. It was very evident that this was some sort of cursed tar. Maybe it had a tooth against magic users since it continued to pursue the girls after Audrey had enchanted the van.

Audrey drove down the road as it went deeper in the woods. Some sort of explosion was heard coming from behind them, but she managed to ignore it. When a banging sound hit the back of the van, the girls stood on high alert. The door burst open and the red stag jumped in. It grabbed the door handle with its mouth and shut it close.

"Hope you don't mind a trip to the unknown," Audrey told the stag. It merely jumped on the mattress that rested at a corner and cuddled in it.

"Just so you, I am _not_ cleaning up his droppings!" Gothy warned Audrey.

_Later in the day_

Mal and Ben immediately took a helicopter flight to Corona. Rapunzel and Eugene took a detour from their trip to see the chaos the guards had informed them about. They arrived at the last location of the enchanted tar. Someone or something had literally burned a red circle on the road and was continuing to drain all the tar in it like a drain in a dirty bathtub. Still, given the strange red markings on the circle and given the unusual deepness of the pit, it was very likely that whatever stopped the black flood was not out of dynamite.

Mal cautiously sniffed the edge of the circle. "Definitely underworld minerals. But these are deeper. Somebody casted a pit spell that sent the black tar in Hell."

"Guess Hades will have a lot to clean up," King Eugene remarked.

"No. This is going into the underworld deeper than my dad's Underworld…"

A guard came running in and out of breath. "Queen Rapunzel! Strange reports have been coming about the tar allegedly ceasing to flood the city because they were following some enchanted vehicle! And the royal veterinarian says that Mischief had been intercepted by a clone of Mother Gothel… and Queen Aurora's brat."

This alarmed Mal and Ben, who stared at one another.

"Audrey was here?" Ben asked.

"With _Gothy Gothel _of all the VKs… But why would Audrey run off with her?" Mal was confused.

King Eugene looked at his wife, whose expression was rather broken-hearted. "Cass has a sister… _I_ have a little sister."

"Wait. Gothy has an older sister?" Mal stared at the queen. "But… I've never seen her on the Isle."

"I know. Cass…" A realization came to the queen. "Guards! Send squads to the Auradon Wall immediately! Gothy Gothel and Aurora's daughter must not reach it!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" The guards ran to their vehicles and drove back to the kingdom or towards the Auradon Wall!

"Knowing Gothel, the kid must be trying to find Cass," King Eugene guessed.

"I can't let Gothy and Aurora's daughter go there! It's too dangerous!"

"Don't worry. We'll bring them back safely," Ben reassured her.

"That's not it, Ben." Rapunzel shook her head. "Cassandra warned me that whatever is on the other side of the wall… it's protecting itself from Auradon. If the girls managed to cross it, Auradon can't protect them from the dangers lying in the unknown."

"Like a magical barrier?" Mal asked. "Can't we just break it?"

"Their magic is different from ours. They don't let Auradonians in… unless they really want to leave Auradon."

_The next day_

Audrey woke up with a moving sunray hitting her on the face. When she opened her eyes, she discovered that she had been placed on the mattress in the back of the van. She felt something warm resting underneath her head and found the red stag sleeping while acting as a pillow for her.

The van was still moving and… Gothy was snoring on the passenger seat.

"Gothy… Gothy!" Audrey yelled.

"Saucepans!" Gothy jumped on her seat and yawned. "What?"

"Who's driving the van?"

"The van is driving itself. Massive points to you, FYI… I had to put you on the mattress after you fell asleep."

"Thank goodness we didn't crash." Audrey rubbed her eyes and put aside her cloak, which had been covering her as a blanket.

"It was weird." Gothy stretched while Audrey searched through their bags for hairbrushes and water canteens. "You don't even snore when you sleep. For a moment, I thought you were dead."

Audrey shuddered at the idea of looking dead. The clock on the dashboard indicated that it was somewhere around 8am. They cleaned up and got hydrated enough for Audrey to take the wheel again. Gothy took a peak out the window. All she saw behind the van were thousands of trees to the point that she couldn't even see the distant hills with tiny houses. The sea almost seemed non-existent.

"I think the tar stopped following us." She got back on her seat. "I wonder why it did in the first place. Did you have some kind of tiff with enchanted tar, Princess?"

"Not that I can think off."

The area was suddenly shrouded by shadows. Not because the sky was getting cloudy but because something massive was approaching them.

They were approaching the Auradon Wall.


	4. Crossing the Auradon Wall

Chapter 4: Crossing the Auradon Wall

This was the first time Audrey ever got so close to the Auradon Wall. With its status as a hybrid of all the known walls, it was impossible to determine how tall this foundation of constantly cleaned white stones was. They couldn't even see tips of what could be on the other side. There were no doors, no gates, and no way for any car to possibly go through. All that really stood out was the massive mist that shrouded the other side. Unlike the Isle in the past, it was evident that nobody could see the silhouettes of the other side.

"Will the van still be enchanted enough to go through?" Gothy was starting to wish she hadn't purchased that hiking equipment.

"One way to find out." Audrey hit the brake. Gothy held on for dear life as Audrey drove towards the obstacle of stones… and blinked when the van drove on it, perfectly parallel. Audrey looked partially unfazed while the stag managed to stand perfectly upright without even falling. Once they reached the pathway at the top of the wall, Audrey parked the van and they got out to inspect the mist. It looked like any kind of thick mist that stands out over a lake on a foggy day, but what seemed to be the most disturbing was how the mist had… electrical sounds traveling through it. It was almost as if the mist could be bearing some potentially dangerous safety measure.

"You want me to touch it first?" Audrey asked.

"No." Gothy sighed and walked up to the mist. She held out her hand, not sure what to expect but hoping for something to let her in. She needed to go to the other side. She needed to find her sister.

Her hand went through the first layer of the mist. Thunder boomed and rainbow bolts came through the mist, dragging it back as if thundering hands were pulling away a strange curtain. Some sort of light came through the opening, but as the girls looked over the edge, they saw the wall going down towards darker mist. Even after opening up, the mist still refused to show what was out there.

"You ready for this?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah… we're just going into unknown territory, talking to people we don't know to find my sister, and my only allies are a depressive magical princess and her Bloody Bambi." Gothy shook her head. "We'll be fine."

Audrey turned to the other side of the pathway. From where they stood on the wall, the entirety of Auradon stood out. She could have sworn she saw the distant Auradon Prep and Isle of the Lost as distant specks. She couldn't see her own kingdom through all those green lands. She never imagined Auradon to be so small from where she was.

The same way she didn't expect a bloodhound to sneak on her, bite her ankle, and start dragging her. "GET OFF!" She shot a blast at the dog, sending it flying.

"Princess!" Gothy rushed to Audrey, whose hand stiffened as it touched the bleeding wound. More bloodhounds came running in and circling the girls. As they barked angrily, Gothy recognized the Corona sun on their collars.

"Who gave you the order to have the bloodhounds attack them?" King Eugene and the guards approached them.

"The queen said to stop them from crossing the wall…"

"_Unharmed._ Well, Rapunzel did say to keep Gothy unharmed, but still…"

"Eugene, enough!" Rapunzel came up, accompanied by Ben and Mal.

"Why did Audrey get bit?" Mal demanded.

As the royals started bickering, Gothy noticed a series of banging coming from the van.

"Gothy…" Gothy looked back and saw Queen Rapunzel approaching cautiously. She pulled Audrey as far away from the nearest bloodhounds as she could. The animals didn't seem to care that Audrey was too distraught to even respond. The only thing the princess could do was cover her still bleeding wounds and let out a whimper. If Gothy had to guess, the princess had never experienced actual physical injuries until now. The banging in the van was worsening.

"Gothy, you can't go there." Queen Rapunzel pointed at the open mist that still waited for them to go through. "It's too dangerous."

"I don't care." Gothy spoke quietly.

"I know you want to find Cassandra, I really do. But cross that mist… I don't know if you'll ever be able to come back. All those who went there never came back… and when we try to go for them, the mist won't let us through. If Cassandra decides to push you away like she chose to push herself away from us, you'll be trapped in a dangerous unknown you don't understand."

Gothy didn't flinch.

"Don't cross. Come back to Corona with us. It'll be your home. You could live with me and my family at the palace."

The queen held out her hand for Gothy. Gothy stiffened at the sight of the kind hand and the other watchers' hopeful looks. She wasn't familiar with such kindness. The princess-now-queen that her mother had wasted years on was genuinely offering her to live them. To be a part of their family. Gothy didn't even know this woman and she was treating her like the little sister she wanted.

_Sister._

"Were you and Cassandra friends?" Gothy bit her lip.

Rapunzel's expression saddened, as if to predict the inevitable. "Very."

"Then you know why I can't stay…"

Rapunzel nodded with a small smile and pulled herself away. "Tell Cassandra that I miss her."

Her husband went along with it as Rapunzel stepped further away from Gothy and had the guards bring the bloodhound back. Gothy struggled to help Audrey stand up.

"Gothy, let Audrey go!" Mal said. "Don't you see she needs to go to a medic?"

"Oh, she'll be fine. I'll bandage her ankle when we get to the other side," Gothy said.

"You can't just take Audrey with you! Her family is worried sick! She'll never be able to see them again if she goes with you!"

"Why should I?" Gothy asked in a cold manner. "Everyone's treating her like dirt and her family has made it clear that her usefulness equals that to a shelf of identical princess dolls. _Audrey _came with _me_ willingly! I didn't even ask for her to come, she wanted to come! She didn't even want to go back when the Archive Librarian made it clear we have to go over this damn wall!"

Mal's eyes were glowing green.

"Look, it's nice that you're growing fond of her… She's been having a rough time," Ben tried the diplomatic approach. "I can imagine how much you want to find your sister. If you want to go, we understand. But Audrey has a family in Auradon… They love her and worry about her so much."

"I know." And just like that, Gothy went to kick the van's back door open. The stag stomped its way out, but it looked different than usual. Its horns were larger and as sharp as knives, its red eyes wider and lacking irises, and its mouth bearing sharp teeth. When the bloodhounds barked at it, the stag threw an inhuman howl all while bearing its teeth. The dogs ran away like wet puppies.

"So does this Bloody Bambi." Gothy gestured to the group with her head. "Bloody Bambi, meet the people who sent their mutts to chew on your nature-loving princess."

As Gothy had anticipated, the now monstrous red stag DID NOT take it well. It immediately charged at the group. Mal turned into a dragon and shot her fire at it, but the stag literally ran up her fire blast and bit her in the arm. Gothy dragged Audrey into the car and forced her onto the passenger seat while she took the driver's seat.

"Now might be a good time to go!" Gothy shook Audrey. The latter was getting woozy from her blood loss.

"_Noble steed, proud and fair, you shall take us anywhere…_" Audrey said weakly. The van immediately drove down the wall's pathway just as the guards took pursuit. As the van drove, the mist spun so the opening would catch up to them.

"We need to turn into that entrance anytime soon!" Gothy shouted as the van got dangerously close to one of the wall towers and guards were planning on barricading them. A screech alerted them. When the guards saw Dragon Mal being thrown at them, they made a run for the hills. When Mal crashed onto the tower, the van took a drastic left turn. Gothy was unable to keep her eyes closed. The stag got out of its monstrous form and rushed in the back of the van.

Ben shouted a hopeless 'no' as the mist closed.

_Later, in Auradon_

Ben came in, carrying a bandaged Mal with him. His parents, their friends, and Audrey's family looked in horror as Ben placed Mal on an armchair. The blood didn't cease; it kept staining through the bandage.

"What happened?" Evie asked.

"Audrey went to the other side of the Auradon Wall… with Gothy Gothel," Ben said.

Gasps came all over the room. Queen Leah fell into even more tears while Beast checked Mal's wound. "It's worsening."

"Where's Hades?" Ben asked him. "Mal got bit while she was a dragon. He might know how to patch up her injury."

"She got bit while she was _in dragon form_?" King Phillip looked incredulous. "I threw a sword at her mother's stomach and it was probably the size of dragon Maleficent's thumb! Look at your fiancée! It's almost as if she got her entire arm bit off! What could be big enough to bite her?"

"Well it wasn't really that big! But it wasn't natural either!"

"What wasn't?" Evie asked.

"The red stag that was with them." Ben explained how he and Mal went to Corona after the strange tar flooding, how Queen Rapunzel theorized that Gothy was looking for her missing half-sister Cassandra, how they tried to intercept the girls at the wall, and how the stag had attacked them after Gothy had informed it that a Corona bloodhound had bit Audrey before following them through the mist.

"I'll have a word with a pan-swinging friend of yours!" Leah told Aurora in anger. "Those flea-packed vermin mutts biting my granddaughter! And now she's stranded in some land she doesn't know!"

"Maybe it's better that way."

It was the former King Hubert of all the people who spoke this. He had been sitting by the fireplace, looking at a picture of him playing with Audrey as a child. Audrey looked so innocently unprepared, yet cheerful, about the pressures that awaited. He held on to the picture closely.

"I am _very _tempted to punch you right now…" His sister-in-law threatened.

"Try to think of what our granddaughter is going through, Leah," Hubert said patiently. "With the expectations we all threw at her and are now drained down the sink, and those dreadful weeks after nearly dying and her friend's actual death, Audrey must have felt meaningless. _We _made her feel meaningless." The others looked at him as he continued. "After all, perhaps Audrey chose to leave Auradon and aid in the reunion of the Gothel offspring because it could give her a sense of self-meaning. Perhaps by leaving, our granddaughter is finally going to discover who she ought to be. Not because we told her what she ought to be, but because she's _certain _that's who she wants to be. And if self-discovery can only be found in the unknown, we should accept that."

Leah bit her lip. "But how will she come back?"

"Of her own free will?" Hubert shrugged. "We could always see if we can find a breach in that mist, but I don't think we ought to interfere with Audrey's adventure." Hubert looked away from Leah and at Beast. "I am curious though, Beast, because Stephan never told me before he died. What _is_ on the other side of the wall?"

_Meanwhile_

The moment she opened her eyes, Gothy forced herself out of the van and coughed. She didn't know long she had fainted when the van fell through the mist, but she was relieved that it didn't explode when it landed on the ground. As far as time concerned her, all she could determine was that it was nighttime, courtesy of the sky full of stars. Unfortunately, the area was too foggy for her to get a clue as to where they were. There were silhouettes of trees filled with leaves and a distant sound of ravens having a tiff, but that was the best clue she had. With the foggy location, she wasn't sure where the mist wall was.

It took at least half an hour, but Gothy wrapped Audrey in the latter's cloak and hauled her onto the stag's back. The bleeding continued and now the princess was getting on the verge of delusions, rambling about owls and songbirds. The stag didn't seem to mind as Gothy used ropes to strap both Audrey and their bags on it. Then again, considering how it went monstrous before and practically gave Mal its massive dental autograph, it didn't surprise Gothy if he carried heavy load.

"Now what?" She asked the stag. "We need shelter. Some medic's house would be preferable…"

Right on instinct, the stag immediately walked through a pathway of dark cypress trees. Gothy smirked at herself as she followed that animal. The beast had such a blind devotion to Audrey, she wouldn't be surprised if it could immediately sniff out a place for her to get healed. As they went through the cypress tree pathway, the fog slightly lightened. Not enough for Gothy to have a better view of the entire area, but enough to see that they were approaching some sort of house. Relief came to her when she distinguished the smell of cut wood and the shape of a chalet, but her relief turned to fright when she picked up a sugary scent. Sure enough, when they got closer to the chalet, the fog cleared up enough to show that the chalet made half by wood, half by gingerbread.

"Are you mad?" She hissed at the stag. She never had an encounter with such witches in her life, but Gothy knew one thing that almost every VK knew: don't trust someone who lives in a gingerbread house in a strange forest. Still, the beast wouldn't have come here if the occupants were dangerous. She sighed and walked up to the candy cane door. The doorbell rang like marbles dropping.

"_Ugh! The smell of fugitives and beasts, what a fright!_" An old, partially accented voice shouted angrily on the other side. "_Who dares knock at our door tonight?_"

"Refugees!" Gothy exclaimed. "My friend got bit by a bloodhound!" She quickly turned back to Audrey and freaked out when her continued bleeding came with paling skin. "Ah! How long were we in that mist?"

It was perhaps the mention of the mist that caused the door to bolt open. Rather than dominate Gothy with questions, the chalet owners, a woman and her daughter, rushed to Audrey. The woman straightened her glasses and cautiously took Audrey's bleeding foot in her hand. "Blast the bloodhound that bit her!" She grimaced through her clenched teeth and pulled out a knife from her apron pocket. Gothy feared that she'd amputate Audrey, but the woman cut off the binds and pulled Audrey in her arms.

"How is she still alive?" The daughter took off the bags and carried them inside. "It takes nearly a whole day for someone to go through the mist. She should have been dead by now!"

"Powerful magic is in her!" The witch ushered them all inside.

"So you can fix her?" Gothy asked hopefully.

"A recovery spell to refill her veins and good old practical herbal medicine to rid off the bacteria and seal the wound ought to do it!" The witch cautious placed Audrey in a red-cushioned sofa. "But it will take her all night to fully recover. Ingwer, show them to the guest room. I'll bring up the blonde one upstairs when I'm done."

"Sure thing, Ma." Ingwer showed Gothy to the stairs and tried to reach out to the stag. It shook it head and sat by the couch.

"It won't leave her," Gothy explained to Ingwer. "He's very attached to her."

"Fine. As long as he doesn't interrupt me," the witch replied indifferently as she searched through her wooden cabinets.

Ingwer pulled Gothy up the wooden staircase. Carvings of candy and hung decorative dishes gave the walls some decorations. As they reached the second floor, a gingerbread raccoon ran out of the bathroom, clearly to avoid some kind of bath. When it noticed Ingwer giving it a look, it ran back in the bathroom. A splash was heard.

"You'll have to forgive Ma. She doesn't mind taking in refugees for some time, but we had a rather wild day," Ingwer told Gothy as politely as she could. "We spent all day cleaning the chalet. I was giving Biscuits his bath and she was catching a break when you knocked."

"I'm really sorry," Gothy said. "I didn't know where to go, our van crashed, and…"

Ingwer interrupted her by shutting Gothy's mouth with her finger. "You can talk about it tomorrow at breakfast." She opened a door shaped like a chocolate bar and led Gothy inside a rather nice room. Two twin-sized beds with the bedposts designed like lollipops, a white-painted wooden nightstand carrying a strawberry-shaped lamp, a matching desk and chair, and white carpeted floor. The room looked as comfy as it was themed after yummy things.

"You can sleep here for the night. Our bathroom is at your disposal. I'll heat up some soup and bring it up to you before you tuck in. Do you happen to have any preferences between butternut squash soup and mushroom soup?"

"What's the major difference?"

Ingwer pondered. "Well I have a fondness for both of them, but the butternut squash soup has a cup's worth of Cuckoo-Clock Cinnamon; you'll be hearing cuckoo clock sounds in your head at every hour until you manage to digest it all. As for the mushroom soup, it includes Ostracizing Onions; I'd wait 48 hours until the effects of ostracizing others non-stop wear off."

Gothy groaned. "I suppose the butternut squash will be better to keep me on high alert. May I have that, please?"


	5. The Watchful Highlands

Chapter 5: The Watchful Highlands

If the awful smell of lemongrass wasn't enough to alert Audrey that she was in a dream, then the fact that she was floating in some blood-filled lake did. She wasn't relaxing nor was she drowning. Her body's weight was hard to define: like a bird's feather, she floated on the bloody surface, but like a pile of bricks, she couldn't move.

Bubbles grew around her. Audrey whimpered in horror at the idea of some nightmare fish emerging to swallow. She felt hands grabbing her and someone emerged out of the bloody lake and carried her out. Audrey ought to feel relieved, but mixed emotions came when the person lifting her out of the blood in his arms was the owner of the reflection Audrey had seen back at the creek. The red-coated, redheaded man who Audrey thought she had hallucinated after incinerating a tree. The strange being who had silently mouthed through his neutral smile what he spoke to her right now.

"_My Queen of Mean._"

"No… Don't call me that!" Audrey tried to force himself off his hold, but he kept holding her as he walked through the bloody lake. _For crying out loud, where is the shore? _Audrey mentally begged in her own night.

"_My Queen of Mean, I am only doing what pleases you._"

"I don't need you to please me! I don't even know why I see you! Let me go!"

"_Certainly, my Queen of Mean._"

Audrey panicked when he placed her back in the bloody water. She dreaded that he'd drop her and leave her to drown, but she found herself sitting in shallow water. Not too far from them, a beach of black sand spread out for miles. The scent of lemongrass made her feel sick as she got up. Audrey choked a sob when she saw her reflection in the red waters.

She still looked like her blonde self, insecure and vulnerable, but her blood-soaked clothing was her old Queen of Mean attire. "No… No!"

"_It is only your nightmare, my Queen of Mean_." The red-coated redhead man gallantly took Audrey's hand and gave it a small kiss. "_For me, it's my most wonderful dream. A dream that would have become the world's greatest masterpiece._"

His unnerving compliments and the way his gallant attention felt strangely satisfying convinced Audrey to pull his hand away from him. "Are you mad? Being the Queen of Mean nearly killed me!"

"_And how I wish I could send Hades my eternal thanks for saving you! Your death is the only thing that can untether what we have. What you have given me._"

"I didn't give you anything. I don't even know you!"

"_Oh, but deep down, you know. You gave me your soul to guide. You gave me something to cherish among the corrupted society you live in. You summoned me with your fallen, angelic voice to come to your aid!_"

Before Audrey could protest further, the man laughed and melted into the lake. When Audrey rushed to see where his residue had dissolved, three images projected themselves. Her eyes widened. The images were moments of when she had snapped. When she had cried in her room. When she had stolen the Queen's crown. When she had taken Maleficent's scepter and transformed. Each scene replayed the same lyrics.

Audrey: _Now there's a devil on my shoulder_

_Where the angels used to be_

_And he's calling me the queen._

_Now there's a devil on my shoulder_

_Where the angels used to be_

_And he's calling me the queen of mean._

'_Cause the devil's on my shoulder_

_Where the angels used to be_

_And he's calling me the queen of mean._

"_Princess… Hello… PRINCESS!"_

Audrey popped her eyes open, courtesy of Gothy screaming in her ears. She jolted up on the bed she was sleeping on but winced when she felt some pain on her foot. That's when she pulled off the massive, but beyond cozy mint leaf-patterned quilt and saw her bandaged foot. She found Gothy, wrapped in towels, and tapping her foot.

"Gothy? How long was I ought?" Audrey looked around the room. "What are we doing in a Heidi cabin?"

"It's a wood and gingerbread chalet," Gothy bothered to only answer the last question. "I know you got a lot of stuff to ask, but you really need to take a bath."

"Again?" Audrey sniffed herself. "Gothy, how long was I out?"

"A day." Gothy helped Audrey get up. "Your magic kept you from bleeding to death while we went through the mist. But seriously, you need to get bathed. Our hosts want us cleaned up for breakfast."

…

After Audrey had taken a quick, cold shower, she put on the clothes that Ingwer Hexe had provided for her. She didn't know how the young witch knew her accurate size and color preferences, but Audrey did rather like the dark dirndl vest with magenta rose and feather patterns, dark pink blouse with matching trousers, and mountain shoes. The Hexe mother and daughter had them wait outside while they prepared breakfast at the patio, so Gothy helped Audrey get her hair done in a braided ponytail while the latter watched the environment they were in.

With the foggy night gone and the morning day out, Audrey saw that the chalet was located in some sort of highland that expanded around them. The cypress, pine, oak, and oddly, eucalyptus trees were spread out in particular patches that in the distance, the forest marks looked like thousands of blinking eyes. A few mountains and hills were spread out, not much to create a chain but strange enough to nearly be stoned noses inhaling the air. At the far west of the highlands, the mist stood out, only looking more serene than the thundering appeal it had back in Auradon. She wasn't sure why, but Audrey could only smile when she saw the environment. The red stag walked up the balcony, probably from some rapid stroll in the woods, and came back carrying wildflowers that it placed on Audrey's lap.

"You've been such a good friend." Audrey petted the stag.

"Is he your familiar?" Ingwer Hexe came out of the chalet, carrying a tray bearing three mugs of hot chocolate, a cup of tea, and a bowl bearing blood. She placed the bowl on the ground and the stag didn't even hesitate to walk up and drink from it.

"Oh…" Audrey was surprised.

"My…" Gothy looked like she wanted to throw up.

"No, no, it's OK." Ingwer shook her head. "It's only pig's blood. I feed Biscuits with it all the time. He's my familiar, you know." Speaking of the Devil, Biscuits jumped on the table where Ingwer had placed the tray and immediately snatched all the marshmallows from one of the mugs. Ingwer rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers; in a dash of white and red sparkles, more marshmallows came and Ingwer snatched the mug before Biscuits could steal more of them. Audrey and Gothy took the cue of sitting down and grabbing their own mugs.

"It's a magnificent view." Audrey managed to change the subject when some white birds flying towards the horizon. Golly, what on earth did those witches put in the hot cocoa? It was beyond delicious!

"Ah. The Watchful Highlands are rather serene at this time of day." Ingwer nodded.

"Watchful Highlands? Oh, because of the forests' eye appearances when you see it from above?"

"And because the villagers who live in the highlands are watchers. For, you know, whoever decides to come out from the other side of that." Ingwer pointed at the mist.

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Well you must know since you made it here that only refugees who really want to leave the other side can cross it. The mist is magic. It will let the ones who truly deserve it cross it, but it takes its precautions."

"So you and your mother practically live in these parts to watch out for Auradonians…" Gothy got cut off by Ingwer shushing her.

"Don't say the A-word!" Ingwer nearly choked on her cocoa. "If you're going to live in this part of the world, you gotta know that the older generation is VERY sensitive about the A-word! Don't go around asking people who are over 22 what happened!"

Audrey and Gothy glanced at one another. "But, do _you _at least know why people would leave… wherever we came from to come here?" The latter asked Ingwer.

Ingwer cautiously glanced at the doorway leading to the kitchen, where a digging sound suggested that her mother was done cooking breakfast. "All Ma would ever say was that they all cross the mist because they couldn't force themselves into the molds that the A-word hypocrites tried to inflict on them."

Mrs. Hexe came out. She loaded on the table at least six plates worth of waffles served with strawberries and hot fudge, cooked sausages, peanut butter or berry jam toast, semi-chocolate brioche, fresh squeezed multi-fruit juice, and scrambled eggs. Audrey and Gothy lost track of how much they ate, for it was too delicious. As the four ate, the newcomers explained the reasons as to why they came here.

"So, finding a missing sibling and inner self-discovery." Mrs. Hexe finished her coffee. "I daresay this is the first time I see mist-crossers so young. I hope your families suffer for the cruelties they inflicted on you."

True, Audrey's family had been rough on her. But calling them cruel? She wasn't really certain. "Let's just say mine didn't exactly make me as happy as I thought I should be," Audrey said quietly.

"You poor thing…" Mrs. Hexe gently patted Audrey's hand.

"My mother abandoned my half-sister when she was four. Some… magical robot told us her riddled address," Gothy said. "Do you happen to know anyone named Cassandra? Perhaps in her forties?"

Mrs. Hexe grimaced and shook her head. It lead to the part that Ingwer had mentioned earlier, about how most of the adults here didn't want to talk about 'Auradon'. The old witch struggled. "You see… We were thousands to run off here before the mist shielded us from the other side. A few of us were alright with staying in the Watchful Highlands in case, for any strange reason, someone who wasn't a refugee managed to cross the mist. But everyone else, they wanted as far away from the mist." She pointed ahead, towards the east, where the sun was partially above a blurred horizon of grey hills. "They have and still are recreating their territories on this part of the world. It's further east where they created the biggest towns and biggest cities and other ways to reach dimensions that give them sanctuary."

"They got to create their own cities?" Audrey was marveled.

"Oh yeah!" Ingwer nodded. "We try to go there for holidays. My Pops is currently on a trip in the east with my little brother. You know, it's why our house is cleaner."

Gothy got up to have a better view of the eastern horizon. "If Cassandra wanted to stay as far from Corona as possible for its safety, then she's definetly gonna be in the east…" She then pounded on the wooden railing. "Damn that riddled address!"

"Ah, yes! What is the first clue to her sister's address?" Mrs. Hexe asked Audrey.

"_The forsaken daughter you seek, a dangerous quest from the start. Find the abused princess the king raises._" Audrey repeated the lines that the Archive Librarian had recited back in Corona.

"Damnation…" Mrs. Hexe muttered.

"What is it?"

"Well, if there's one thing that Ma has noticed ever since refugees come knocking at her door, it's that they come up with tricky riddle addresses particularly if they don't want to be found," Ingwer explained, "and the way they usually do it is by associating the first clue with the Fae."

"The Fae?" Audrey asked.

"Yes, Fae. Like fairies, the kind that curse or bless you, the kind that switch your babies with theirs at night, the kind that can twist your wishes if you don't get specific, or the kind that can force your hand to add on their trophy wall!" Ingwer agitated her fingers. "Benevolent or malevolent tricksters! Heck, the first territory you step on after the Watchful Highlands is known as the Fae Moorways!"

"Fae live in moors?" Gothy scowled.

"No. The Fae Moorways are moors full of doors that lead to different turfs dominated by the Fae. They're too selfish to actually share the moors, so it's full of doorways so they can come and go as they please or if some mortal idiots want to visit to make deals."

Audrey wiped her lips with her napkin when she was done with her last sausages and waffles. "So you're saying that the first clue always relates to the Fae because… in case the refugees could be followed by someone who wanted to catch them, the Fae would drive them nuts."

"Got the pie out of the oven, clever girl." Mrs. Hexe gave her a wink.

"But then why did you say 'Damnation'?"

Mrs. Hexe yet again grimaced. "'The abused princess the king raises.' I find it too much of a coincidence that for the only Fae royalty I know to treat his own heiress like garbage, he's currently on a business trip. And he won't be back at his castle until Tuesday."

"And today's Sunday." Gothy sat back down. "How far are the Fae Moorways from here?"

"A day's worth by sailing down the river with the ferry," Ingwer answered. "We don't have trains in the highlands. You'll only be able to use them once you reach the towns in the east… Well, you know, if the Fae don't drive you nuts yet."

"Eh." Gothy shrugged. "We stole, we ran away, we got chased by magic ooze, and Princess here has the Bloody Bambi as a bodyguard." The red stag snorted at Gothy and went to rub its head on Audrey's arm.

"Totally a familiar." Ingwer rolled her eyes.

…

The Hexe women were generous enough to give Gothy and Audrey an enchanted wagon ride to the river village to reach the port in time for the ferry's departure at 11:40 am. Contrary to the charming, rustic aspect the witches' wood and gingerbread chalet had, the river village looked and smelled like cement walls and constantly polished sandstone roofs. Besides the ferry, boats were pulling from the east and sailors were lifting crates onto trucks. As they waited for Mrs. Hexe to pay for two young adult and one animal tickets, Ingwer explained for the fifth time how she and her mother adjusted the girls' bags with enchantments.

"The food's enchanted to be sustained for a week at the most until you cook it and eat it. We've expanded the first-aid kits, clothing to last you a week, some blood bottles for the Bloody Bambi…"

"You don't mind us nicknaming you that?" Audrey smirked at the animal. Bloody Bambi merely shrugged.

"Enchanted camping gear, a map of the lands, some candy in case you get cravings, a lot of cash…"

"Is there anything else you need to say that you haven't already told us?" Gothy was getting tired of the explanations.

"I snuck my beginner's spellbook in your bag, Audrey," Ingwer did just as Gothy asked. "I don't exactly know how magic from your old home is different from ours, but maybe the spellbook will help you out."

"You shouldn't have!" Audrey was touched.

"Little tip: always start off with the basic incantations before creating your own."

Mrs. Hexe came back with the tickets. The witches escorted them to the boarding dock, where people were boarding the grey-colored ferry. Some were carrying more crates to deliver to the east, but an interesting portion of the passengers, perhaps close to ten, were refugees carrying whatever luggage they had on them. Audrey and Gothy were equally shocked to see wide-eyed men hugging themselves as they climbed the ferry, young women who held on to one another, and surprisingly enough, a big number of Huns of all ages and genders. The best guess that the girls had was that they weren't the only ones to have recently run away from Auradon and it looked like Shan-Yu's former warriors weren't ready to remain in the Isle or move in Auradon.

"Be very safe." Mrs. Hexe gave each of them a strong hug.

"Thank you so much for everything, Mrs. Hexe," Audrey nodded. "We'll write to let you know when we find Cassandra."

"_And _when you are getting settled in."

"You can always visit us," Ingwer nodded.

The ferry's captain blew the siren, indicating that the passengers had to hurry. Gothy handed their tickets and the trio boarded the ferry. They waved good-bye one more time to the Hexe witches before they followed the sailor who guided them towards three-wooden seats. Audrey sat on the one closest to the window while the Bloody Bambi didn't hesitate to position itself on the one next to her and cuddle its head into Audrey's lap. Gothy, meanwhile, observed the other refugees.

"Finally out of Auradon… I couldn't take it!"

"It's too much back there…"

"My job at the post office was horrible!"

"I couldn't handle the pressures…"

"They wouldn't even let me use my talents!"

"Living in the lands of oppressors." The next sentences, Gothy heard it from the Huns. Still, she avoided making eye contact with them. The last thing she needed was for them to pester her on why she was traveling with a princess. "The Isle is just an ex-prison turned poor area. And Auradon is nothing but stolen lands. _Our lands_ aren't even there."

"You think we'll be able to find wherever they put our old territories? It would be nice to find the good old mountains we used to live in. More space to explore, hunt, and live. Back to our ways."

"I still can't believe Shan-Yu didn't want to come. He didn't even ask what happened to our home."

They couldn't handle the pressures. They couldn't be themselves. They didn't know where their old homes were because they weren't there anymore?

"Hey, Princess…" Gothy tried to start a conversation. Just then, the ferry's engines fueled up and sailed rapidly down the river. The passengers had to hold on to what they could as their mode of transportation bumped up and down the river, took dangerous turns, and even went through rapids.

"Alright, newcomers!" The captain came to the main deck with a microphone at hand. "Thank you so much for joining our ferry! Feel free to sit back and relax while we explain to you why you made the _perfect decision _of leaving everything behind!" Sailors jumped next to him, carrying instruments that could only mean one thing.

"Boat ride music…" Gothy groaned while the Bloody Bambi pulled back Audrey after she threw up through the window.

Captain: _Now it all happened 2 decades ago,_

_Back when the world had its own flow._

_Seven continents and seven seas, _

_Worlds underneath and parallel, ya see._

_A diversity of people walked the lands_

_And heroes and villains had their stands._

_You'd think evil would get to rest in Hell_

_While heroes had their ending so swell._

The whole crew: _But no. It came_

_It was a tragic shame. _

_You definetly would have known that it wasn't your day_

_When they made it clear that you had no say._

_No say-ay-ay-ay!_

_No say-ay-ay-ay!_

_Ay-ay-ay!_

_Ay-ay-ay!_

Captain: _There came a monarchy deal from an entitled beast_

_To seal in an enchanted island away those wanted least_

_And to give heroes a deserved paradise._

_They changed the world! Like a cake slice!_

Sailor #1: _Majesties acted like it's no big deal._

_They got to self-indulge while others had to kneel._

Sailor #2: _They didn't even ask the common folk what they desire,_

_But they already merged kingdoms prior._

Sailor #3: _They acted like they could defy Death's rules._

_They call it utopia, we call it a bigger mess of fools!_

Captain: _When many protested that the new world was unwanted,_

_The royalty made their condition so haunted._

'_Rule-followers for Auradon and traitors in the Isle of the Lost!_

_We care little of your choices! Harmony was at the cost!'_

As they sailed further in the river, the passengers could have sworn that the wind was booing with the singing ferry crew.

The whole crew: _But no. It came_

_It was a tragic shame. _

_You definetly would have known that it wasn't your day_

_When they made it clear that you had no say._

_No say-ay-ay-ay!_

_No say-ay-ay-ay!_

_Ay-ay-ay!_

_Ay-ay-ay!_

Captain: _Then came a witch, as cruel as thoughtful._

_She found a solution to drag the cart off the bull._

_During a dark night, we ran to the wall in a mass._

_The soldiers pursued, but her mind was sharper than glass._

_She cast a mist to separate Auradon from the lands it rejected._

_What the kingdoms didn't want, we arrived protected._

_The benevolent devil cast more spells only refugees came to penetrate._

_That's why you didn't hesitate._

_You couldn't handle their slate._

_We're happy that you managed to penetrate._

_Now your life will finally be great!_

The whole crew: _But no. It came_

_It was a tragic shame. _

_You definetly would have known that it wasn't your day_

_When they made it clear that you had no say._

_No say-ay-ay-ay!_

_No say-ay-ay-ay!_

_Ay-ay-ay!_

_Ay-ay-ay!_

When the sailors were done singing, every passenger applauded. Gothy and Audrey, however, could only give small applauses.

_Later_

Nighttime had fallen, and thankfully, the ferry had reached calmer waters. The gentle currents actually cradled the passengers to sleep, except the trio. Unable to sleep, they went to sit on the outer deck and eat some of tuna sandwiches Mrs. Hexe and Ingwer had packed for them. Bloody Bambi didn't eat and rested underneath Audrey's back, cushioning her. Still, despite how delicious the tuna sandwiches were, the girls had a hard time focusing to eat. They watched as they went further through the Watchful Highlands. The mist now seemed so distant.

"All this… land that Auradon just discarded like it was trash…" Audrey shook her head. She almost wished that the tuna sandwich could choke her. "That's what the mist hid? The stuff Auradon didn't want? The people who ran away because they didn't feel like living there was worth it?"

"No wonder Auradon is so puny." Gothy ate her sandwich slowly. "The royals practically turned everything into what they saw as a family-friendly Pangaea." She saw Audrey still looking miserable. "Let me guess. Your guilt is expanding because your relatives were a part of it?"

Audrey nodded.

"It was more than 2 decades ago, Princess. None of this has to do with you."

"Don't you get it? My grandfather King Stephan was among the kings who agreed to Beast and Belle's plans on merging the kingdoms to create Auradon… He was OK with removing the lands he didn't want to create the ideal kingdom… I mean, didn't you notice that the Forbidden Fortress is near Bald Mountain and not at the edge of Stephan's kingdom? And… _they were OK_ with shoving civilians in the Isle just for not going along with it! IS THIS REALLY THE BLISS I'VE BEEN LIVING IN? MY FAMILY REALLY EXPECTED ME TO BE QUEEN OF STOLEN LANDS?" In an angry fit, Audrey threw her sandwich off the boat. A seagull immediately snatched it in its beak and ate it. Judging by how it licked its beak, Gothy knew that the wildlife also like Mrs. Hexe's cooking.

"How come you're not as angry as I am?" Audrey demanded.

"I'm from the Isle. I practically lived in the hybrid of Auradon's trash as well." Gothy shrugged. "I mean, we knew the world changed. Some villains have brought up names of places they explored like Paris, London, Las Vegas, and even some place they randomly visited by accident called Whoville… They said they've been to a lot of cities that somehow they don't hear about anymore. I guess those places disappeared just like that when Auradon came to be."

"But that's not fair!" Audrey protested.

"Is it really now that you realize nothing in life is fair?" Gothy asked Audrey. Her quiet question resulted in Audrey silencing herself. No, Audrey never really stopped to think about life outside of her own was unfair. Gothy hadn't joked: it's only now, after they crossed into territories she knew nothing about, that it occurred to her that life itself was unfair. Gothy didn't even have to draw a list. She grew up living an unfair life.

"Is Grandpa Stephan the one hitched to that bossy grandma of yours?"

"_Was_." Audrey sighed. "He died when I was little. That's when my parents took over the kingdom…"

"And the royal granny spoiled you and tried to have you raised in their magnificent spoiled mess. 'Yeah, it's practically stolen lands! But don't worry, it doesn't matter! All you have to do is sit on a throne next to the heir of the usurpers! Make us proud by being a trophy wife and don't be yourself!'" Gothy imitated the voice of an old crone down to the coughing. Even though it was an insult to practically everything, Audrey laughed her head off when Gothy tried to imitate her grandmother.

_Meanwhile, in Auradon Prep_

It was around ten when Celia Facilier had gone back to Auradon Prep after taking Dude out for a walk. Though Celia had been very kind to take him after Carlos' death, Dude hardly spoke a word lately. He really wasn't the same nowadays without his original best friend.

The two just got inside when they found Queen Leah sitting on a hallway chair. When they cautiously approached her, they noticed that the Queen was looking at some framed picture of a tourney game that probably dated to years ago. Audrey was leading the cheer squad in the background.

"Everything OK with Audrey, ma'am?" Celia asked.

Queen Leah barely looked up. "She left Auradon to rediscover herself… and Ben's father won't tell my family what's on the other side of the Auradon Wall…"

"My dad might."

Queen Leah looked at her in surprise. "He would?"

"He knows a lot when it comes to the other side." Celia shrugged. "But when it came to the other side of the wall, he'd only bring up the friend that Maleficent owed."

This caught Queen Leah's attention. She moved over and patted for Celia to sit down next to her. Celia picked up and held him in her arms as she sat down.

"Why would Maleficent owe to anyone?" Leah asked quietly.

"She'd owe someone for giving her the scepter," Celia explained. "My dad told that there are two methods to get magic. You are born with it out of randomness or because you're from a magical species, or because you were mortal and you applied a method that got you powers. The problem with the last option is that you might become a magical species in the process or you're indebted to the magical being who helped you out. You know, like my dad's friends on the other side. He had magic because he passed a contract… and you know the story."

"Still… are you suggesting that Maleficent was human before she had magic? And that someone passed a contract with her?"

"All I know is that her scepter is shut down for good and my dad doesn't want to stick around when the friend comes to collect the fee that Maleficent owes her." Celia grimaced. "I'm not sure how that fee is going to work, though. Mal's mom is a lizard…"

"Wait." Leah covered Celia's mouth. That's when they heard the strange static sound. It didn't echo above a whisper, but they could still hear it. Dude jumped off Celia's lap and ran to wherever the sound was coming from. The women silently followed Dude until he stopped three feet away from a barely opened door. They stared at each other in alarm when they realized that something might have broken into Audrey's room. Cautious, they stayed in the shadows and did their best to peak through the door's opening. In the room's darkness, a figure in a red cloak stood out. Whoever it was, he was searching through the princess' wardrobe.

"I really thought she was rather mean… I hoped that she'd be my queen… And there came the lousy scene…" The figure muttered to himself as he pushed through the hung dresses and coats. The hidden observers became unnerved that the static they had heard was also coming out of him. He literally spoke through static! "I'd give her that… I'd follow my little leader of the dark and the bad… Ah, ah! There you are!"

Celia and Leah silently gasped when they saw the figure pull out a discarded carton box, open it, and pull out a familiar pink dress. Leah recognized it as the dress Audrey had worn when Ben proposed to Mal. Celia primarily saw it as the dress that got stained by darkness for the former Queen of Mean.

"Oh, my queen of mean… You'll need to be reminded as to why you need me…"

In some fit, Dude came out barking at the figure. He hissed in anger and broke the window to escape. Celia and Leah watched him disappear in the darkness, taking the dress with him.

"I'm… guessing that Audrey has her own friend on the other side that she probably summoned by accident."


	6. The Fae Moorways

Chapter 6: The Fae Moorways

The Watchful Highlands were growing in trees as the ferry went further down the river the next day. Most of the passengers entertained themselves with trading tricks for social games or even talking about their plans once they reach further east. The captain reassured Gothy that they'd drop off the trio at the Fae Moorways before the sun set. Where they were now, the mist had vanished from the horizon. The sky was blue, but more cyan than the ridiculous baby blue that Auradon had.

Audrey, meanwhile, flipped through the beginner's spellbook that Ingwer Hexe had smuggled in her backpack. Contrary to Mal's spellbook, the one Audrey held was typed; it was obvious that multiple copies probably existed out there. The pages were worn out by an inch and the paperback cover a bit torn, but the information was still there. _Always start with basic incantations before creating your own._ That's what Ingwer Hexe had told her.

And yet nothing was happening. While Gothy was keeping an eye out on the other passengers, Audrey was cautiously hiding behind crates, struggling to perform a mere levitation spell on a discarded piece of rope while the Bloody Bambi watched.

"_Snake of strings, float like wings_." Audrey was holding out her hands with force over the discarded rope. The Bloody Bambi watched as the pink glow in her eyes flickered like a malfunctioning light bulb and the tip of the rope slightly budged upward before collapsing back to its inanimate state.

"Ugh!" Audrey stomped her foot. "Why can't I do this right? I didn't have any problems when I spelled the van!"

The Bloody Bambi tilted its head.

"You think I should try another spell?" The red-colored animal responded by resting its head on her lap. Audrey sighed and gave it the usual neck caress. "Why is that it's so easy to have a devoted friend like you, but I can't even cast a spell on my own?" With her spare hand, Audrey flipped through the pages until she reached the index.

_Page 3: A General Introduction to Witchcraft_

_Page 10: Beginner's Basic Incantations_

_Page 30: Creating Your Own Spells_

_Page 56: Potions That You Can Craft If You Don't Have Allergies_

_Page 74: Is Human Neat Necessary For Your Fuel?_

_Page 113: The Pros And Cons of Summoning Demons_

_Page 116: Familiars_

_Page 130: Magical Contracts_

_Page 166: Magical Reproduction & Endings_

The mention of Page 113's title reminded Audrey of that disturbing dream she had the other day. She realized that she couldn't even remember the facial details of the red-coated, redheaded man who proclaimed himself as her devil. Only his strange, never ending smile caught her attention. Part of Audrey wanted to shake it off as the mere hallucination that she probably imagined due to blood loss, but another part of her was telling her to not shove it aside. Whoever she saw in her nightmare, he made her memorize the particular lyrics perfectly. _You gave me your soul to guide. You summoned me with you fallen, angelic voice to come to your aid._

Audrey shuddered. She really hoped it was a mere coincidence and not the whole 'once upon a dream' nonsense she had heard from her mother. Unable to contain herself, she turned to page 113.

_So you've wondered about what it's like to summon a demon. Is it out of accident or for motivation? We hate to break it to you, but only idiots summon demons._

"Wow. So much for an educational intro," Audrey told the Bloody Bambi.

_Demons aren't quite as unholy as one would think. While it is true that they all live in Hell and some of them might be native to the fallen angel's kingdom, the greatest percentage of all demons were originally human. Morality is very selective when choosing who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell. The smallest, nastiest act can guarantee your ticket to Hell. Even a child isn't safe from being added to Hell's upcoming list if he whines or is spoiled by his parents._

_Demons generally don't have much left of their humanity, but they fully understand how humans work. That is why very frequently, they get summoned by mortals whose sins, desperate wishes, and lost directions associate best with the summoned guardians._

_But how to summon a demon? That isn't easy. Only beings with genetics close to Death can fully describe the summoning methods. Because sinners overpopulate Hell every year, the list of summoning methods is beyond hectic. Be grateful that even witches who wrote this book know nothing about the summoning methods either, otherwise this book will crush you. _

_We witches do know one thing: once summoned, a demon will be dedicated in leading his or her protégée in the path they deem to be correct. And regardless of how the demon approaches the corruption of his or her protégée, the demon is BANNED from harming the protégée. Only Death will destroy the bond between the summoned one and the protected one._

_But seriously, don't even think of committing suicide or finding other ways of indirectly taking your life! Because if you mistreated your summoned demon, he or she can retaliate VICIOUSLY once you join him or her in Hell._

"Princess! Bloody Bambi!"

Audrey panicked and shut the book closed. She and the Bloody Bambi got up from their hiding space and rushed to find Gothy, who was walking around the deck.

"We're here!" Audrey called out. "What happened?"

"I dare ask the same thing to you." Gothy noticed the spellbook Audrey was clutching before the latter hid it behind her back. "Practicing, eh? How did it go?"

"I can't even get a rope to float. You?"

"News that made my day. The captain said that we're getting to our destination sooner than expected."

"I thought he said we'd reach the Fae Moorways before the sun set."

"And he did. The sunset isn't until 6:50pm. It's 5pm." Gothy pointed ahead. The Watchful Highlands were getting vacant in trees and making way for a massive valley. Compared to the highland's green lush, the moors were covered in neutral gray grass. Rocks were dispersed here and there, and though there were some gray clouds in the sky, Audrey could somewhat see the few pinches of glitter the rocks had. The most troubling part, however, was the sight of the thousands of doorways that stood out in the entirety of the moors. Some were small while others were large. Some were of plain wood while others had intricate designs on their marble. Some were rectangular while others had rather abstract designs. As the ferry got closer to a desolate boardwalk, Audrey saw that each nearby doorway had some kind of blur trapped within the frames. She could see the colors of the background through the doorway as if a painter had decided to smudge his handiwork.

The Fae Moorways were literally a massive forest of nothing but doorways.

"This could take forever!" Audrey groaned as the ferry made a halt. They thanked the captain and got off the boat.

"Are any of you familiar with the Fae Moorways?" Gothy asked some people waiting to board the ferry from the boardwalk.

"We weren't here for tourism, missy." A goateed man rolled his eyes as if it were obvious.

"Why are you so rude?" Some braided woman snapped at him. "It's not the newbies' fault if they don't know that only people who come to see the Fae for business travel here!"

"Oh really? How did that work out for you?" He sarcastically asked her.

"Um, I'm really sorry, but would you happen to know where we can find a Fae princess?" Audrey quietly asked.

"Ye gonna have to be specific, doll," an old woman said as she boarded the boat with her grandson. "A lot of fancy doorways lead to different kingdoms."

"We're looking for a princess who's abused by her father… who happens to be out of town until tomorrow."

"Oh, _that _princess!" The old woman widened her eyes.

"We just came back from there!" Her granddaughter swung on the ferry's railing. "She's so weird! She's inviting a bunch of strangers to party at her house!"

"Sophie, the main reason we were even there was because one of your classmates wished you away!" Her grandmother told her in an angry tone. "I'm suing your school once we get back home!"

"Where's the doorway for that?" Audrey asked Sophie's grandmother.

"Just follow the owls." The old woman pointed at the sky. Sure enough, a massive diversity of owls was flying towards the opposite direction of the boardwalk. The way they flew downward to a specific direction reminded Audrey of a strange feathery snake. "They're going straight to her doorway, the only one in the area to have peach designs."

"And very glittery!" Sophie nodded.

"Thank you so much. Come on, guys." Audrey patted the Bloody Bambi and the three made their way. The ferry left the boardwalk while they walked through the Fae Moorways using the owls as guides. As they walked, they cautiously kept an eye out for the other doorways. Gothy cringed when she saw a doorway designed with teeth while Audrey didn't know how to react when she saw a very scaly doorway. In a way, as they continued walking, they felt more like walking through a silent cemetery rather than walking through someone's weird concept of art. Occasionally, they'd run into at least one or two people phasing out of the doorways like ghosts do through walls. Some looked very satisfied while others were shaken.

They finally found where the owls came to a stop. While the Bloody Bambi was shaking off some tiny owls that dared to land on its antlers, Gothy and Audrey saw that the other owls were taking their turns flying through the doorway. Just as the little Sophie and her grandmother had said, the doorway had medieval carvings and paintings of peach trees and the peach fruit itself. The black and white paints that had been used were standing out due to the glitter mixed into them.

"OK…" Gothy took a deep breath and clasped her hands. "We go in, we find the princess, we ask her about the next clue, and we make a run for it before her father gets back. Got it?"

"I wonder why she doesn't just leave to come here if her Dad is so abusive?" Audrey wondered. Gothy didn't bother giving her an answer. She started poking her finger through the doorway; her finger was blurring itself until she pulled it out.

"What does it feel like?" Audrey asked Gothy.

"Like I lost all my muscles and bones."

After some convincing, Audrey and Gothy got settled on the Bloody Bambi's back. Gothy made sure to double-knot the ropes they were using as makeshift belts.

"Anytime you want," Audrey told the stag.

It didn't waste a minute. The Bloody Bambi ran towards the doorway and jumped through the blur. Gothy and Audrey immediately felt queasy and struggled to hang on to the stag. Gothy hadn't joked when she said that going through the blur made her feel like she was only floating skin. Audrey had the same feeling.

The landscape of the Fae Moorways blurred into neutral-colored abstract clouds that took their turn into being blurred into something cleaner. Audrey thought she was seeing a night sky full of stars, but it turned out to be nothing but a starless sky and what she thought were stars were actually thousands of glittery specks being thrown on her face.

The Bloody Bambi finally landed onto solid ground and the girls wasted no time in unknotting the ropes to get off. Audrey worked on dusting the glitter off her. A problem came, however. The glitter wouldn't come off. No matter how much she tried to brush or shake it off her clothes, the glitter remained intact. She untied her hair and messed it up, but it did no good. Even on her hair, it wouldn't budge.

"Gothy, I think we have a problem…"

"You're telling me." Gothy wasn't referring to Audrey's glitter crisis but to the massive maze that stood out under the night-shrouded sky. The area only had two light sources, the moon and the beam lights that were coming from a castle located at the maze's center. Both sources of light caused the glitter staining the amaze to brighten up in colorful specks. Party music could be heard coming from the castle.

"Huh…" Audrey widened her eyes. "It kinda reminds of those all-nighter parties Chad Charming used to throw at his castle. You know, one of those 'don't have the midnight curfew' extravaganzas."

"Guess the idiot eventually realized that he needed his beauty sleep?"

"No. Cinderella grounded after the accident with the castle clocktower." When Gothy looked at her in confusion, Audrey raised her hand to indicate that she didn't want to talk about it. "OK, well, if my memory on maze designs recalls well, the quickest way to the center is by going left."

Gothy snorted as if Audrey was joking. "There's no way that we'll make it to the center of the maze by going left!"

_10 minutes later_

"I can't believe we made it to the center of the maze by going left!"

Audrey hadn't failed. OK, so they had some troubles dealing with the first illusions that the maze was throwing in the first pathway, but a certain worm was feeling in a good mood so he told them to take a left turn to head straight to the castle. And sure enough, after taking that left turn, they managed to reach the castle in less than ten minutes. Gothy looked like she wanted to rip her hair out at the illogical math behind all this, but Audrey spared her. She dragged her towards the scale-motif doors. Two tiny creatures were guarding it, but judging by their hiccups and the presence of party cups, it looked like security wasn't a priority for the castle's princess.

"Uh, excuse me?" Audrey called out. "We came to see the princess."

"Princess… partying…" One creature hiccupped with a weird smile.

"Princess throw lot of parties… Wish king didn't have to return tomorrow…" The other creature hiccupped as well.

That's the part where the doors burst open, and because the creatures were leaning on it, they were sent flying in laughter. The person who ran out to welcome the trio was some wild teenager with dark lemon brown hair tied in a messy ponytail and splattered with glitter. Her dark purple dress reached her knees and was covered by a stone brown coat with glitter on the ends, a purple collar, purple lace ends, and a purple belt. Everything that was purple on her, including her rather tight small boots, had a maze pattern on it. Overall, she looked like someone who was having too much of a wild time, but if the purple crystal earrings, necklace, and tiara were any other sort of obvious statement, she was obviously the princess they were looking for.

"Well, ain't this a fine sight!" She stared at them with brown eyes that matched her coat's coloring but expressed two different sorts of expression within her, one of wild excitement and the other of serious interest. "Another fae magic induced princess…"

"Oh, no." Audrey shook her head. "I'm no Fae and no princess."

"Don't lie!" The princess laughed. "Why do you think the glitter is only stuck on you? It sticks permanently on those who have fae magic. Can't wait to hear the massive story behind the former bratty royalty who thought she could mess with Fae magic and get away like she'd be a normal human!"

Audrey couldn't even tell if the princess was mocking her or saying nonsense out of influence.

"And you brought an escort!" The princess's eyes widened with strange glee that made Gothy take a stiff step back. "Got any after-party availabilities, Gorgeous?"

"_Excuse me?_" Gothy looked offended.

"Come on in!" The princess dragged them inside, though she clung onto them to retain her balance. There wasn't a single hallway or room that wasn't packed with strange creatures, humanoids, or humans dancing to the loud music, eating and drinking heavily, or doing… whatever they were doing behind the statues.

"Princess!" Another strange creature approached her, but unlike the drunk ones from the main doors, this one had clearly kept his head straight. "Ten more minutes till the thirteenth hour!"

"Dang… It's gonna be tomorrow already?" The princess tried to keep her head straight.

"Princess, your medication!" The creature pulled out a purple-colored inhaler. Gothy grabbed it and forcefully pumped it in the princess's mouth. When she got her mind straightened, she took a massive deep breath and pulled the inhaler out of her.

"OK, thanks to all those who came to every single one of my last parties, but whoever's not a goblin, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" She yelled. "And whoever is a goblin, CLEAN UP THE PLACE!"

Most of the complaints were either goblins wishing they didn't have to go back to work yet and the humanoids and humans were complaining something about how they wished the king didn't have to come back home. The new visitors, on the other hand, followed the princess and her sane goblin to the throneroom.

"Cup of tea for the guests?" The goblin asked his mistress as she sat down on the steps that led to a strange throne.

"Don't spike them," the princess warned. "And if those blasted cooks try to spike mine with peach juice again, I'll kick them into the Bog of Eternal Stench!"

"Yes, princess." The goblin walked his calm way towards the kitchen.

"That's Beetleglum." The princess told the trio. "He's nursed me since I was in a crib. Oh, right, I forgot." She gave the lousiest form of curtsey she could come up with while sitting. "Crystal Maze, princess of the Underground. Daughter of Jareth the Goblin King." Her middle finger pointed at a small portrait that hung next to the throne, portraying Crystal posing with her father in a glittery blue coat, ridiculously tight pants, and mismatched eyes. The only things he and Crystal seemed to have in common in the picture were their messy blond haircuts and their expressions that made it clear that posing next to one another for the portrait was unbearable.

"Your dad doesn't let you have a lot of friends, does he?" Audrey took the audacity of sitting down next to Crystal; the latter didn't react much. "That's why you throw those hectic parties when he's out and you let random strangers in."

"You'd be surprised by how many of the guests are actually Jareth's rejected clients. I'm a bit more lenient than he is," Crystal nodded. "And if you three are here, it's probably to ask for a service that I can do but that you can't ask when he's around."

"Indeed." Gothy groaned. "Would you happen to know anyone named Cassandra?"

"Hold your horses, Gorgeous." Crystal raised her hand. "I don't do names. I lost track of a lot of them after I got drunk at my parties…" Beetleglum entered the throneroom with a silver tray bearing a crystal teakettle with matching crystal cups. He gave each girl a teacup once he was done pouring tea in the cups.

"Shall I bring the stag to the stables, Princess?" He asked Crystal.

"No, he's good. But bring a fancy bowl for him. The blonde one will feed it."

"Of course, Princess." He left again.

Audrey clutched her bag. "How did you know?"

"Didn't have to peep. Who sees blood-colored stags walk around these parts?"

"So, you can tell that the Bloody Bambi drinks blood, but you can't tell if you've met my sister Cassandra?" Gothy scowled.

"In my defense, your sibling doesn't have one of those fancy Bible names!" Crystal raised a finger. "There's at least 100 women out of the 6 billion in the world who have that name! Heck, the original was the namesake for the phrase 'Cassandra Truth', aka 'you get cursed to tell the truth but no one believes you because a sun god can't take no for an answer!' And believe me, when it comes to men who can't take no for an answer, my old man is part of the club!" Crystal pointed her middle finger at the portrait yet again. Gothy, on the other hand, was stressfully drinking the still boiling peppermint tea in a rapid manner as she began pacing.

Audrey decided to take another approach. "What about a hybrid that phases numerous faces? Do you know one of those?"

"_That _I know… because in that subject matter, there's only one."

"Really?" Audrey smiled. "Do you remember her name?"

"I do, but I can't say it out loud."

Audrey sighed.

"And why not?" Gothy was less patient with the Fae princess than Audrey was.

"FYI, Gorgeous, you're now walking on turf that is different from wherever you came from. People are cautious about giving away names. Besides, the hybrid comes from a particular case when people only summon her kind to make contracts."

"Is she like a demon?" Audrey thought of what she had read in the spellbook back on the ferry.

"Eh… partially." Crystal waved her hand. Beetleglum brought a fancy crystal bowl and placed it on the ground. Though Audrey insisted of doing it herself, Beetleglum poured pig's blood in the bowl and gave the Bloody Bambi its space to eat while Crystal continued talking. "She's part-ghost, so she's familiar with the whole 'use a particular summoning method and a certain Hellion will follow you to the ends of your life!' Her own dad still has to go through the whole being summoned by calling his name three times even though he married a human, and the summoning method also applies to her. Not to mention that her dad doesn't like my dad, and if I randomly started saying her name three times to satisfy the needs of some mortals..."

"You wouldn't hear the end of it." Audrey nodded. "Where does your friend live?"

"Further northeast from the Fae Moorways, in Macabretown."

"Great!" Gothy shoved her cup on the tray. "Well thanks for the chat and advice! We'll be go… WHAT THE!" Gothy interrupted herself when Crystal, in an expression of boredom, snapped her fingers and two stone hands grew out of the floor to grab Gothy by the ankles.

"Not so fast!" Crystal said. "We haven't discussed payment."

"Payment?" Both Audrey and Gothy gasped.

"Obviously. You stepped on Fae turf. You honestly think that we give services for free. I'm giving you something you want. Now, you must give me something I want. And no, I don't want payment in cash."

"Well, what do you want most of all?" Audrey asked.

"I want to leave."

Gothy stared at Audrey in confusion. The princess, on the other hand, took only a few minutes to stare at the castle doors and then at Crystal to actual come up with a conclusion. "Your kingdom is actually a prison. That's why you keep throwing these parties whenever your dad leaves!"

"Goblin King _very _defensive about letting his heiress leave Underground." Beetleglum spoke out. "Princess not allowed to leave to go to Aboveground where mortals roam unless mortals wish for it. General Fae rule."

"But that's not fair!" Audrey protested.

"If I had a nickel for every time I heard that," Crystal rolled her eyes.

"You can't be serious!" Gothy snapped. "You expect me to believe that as payment for one small info, you want us to wish you out of your house?"

"Hey, I didn't make the Fae laws, Gorgeous!" Crystal stood up from her sitting spot. "I'm the future Goblin Queen by blood, so my essence is bound to this realm and who knows how long of an ETERNITY I'll have to wait until Jareth dies so I can take over!"

"Not quick to happen." Beetleglum shook his head. "Goblin King immortal."

"And according to Fae law, my kind of Fae aren't allowed to leave their realms unless mortals invite them, and in my family's case, we only get invited when mortals wish for something from us! My dad and I only go to the mortal realm when someone wishes something from us, and even when we get summoned, we only have limited time there!"

"And King doesn't let Princess abuse loopholes like King can." Beetleglum added.

"I JUST WANT TO GET OUT MORE OFTEN!" Crystal dropped on her knees. "I CAN'T EVEN GRANT MY OWN WISHES! PLEASE, WISH ME TO GET OUT AS FOREVER AS IT TAKES! **I'M BEGGING YOU!**" Beetleglum, being the gentle goblin he was, ushered to give gentle pats on the princess' back while she sobbed hysterically. Gothy and Audrey couldn't handle the sight that much either.

"Princess, you do it." Gothy muttered to Audrey. "I don't do hysterical."

"Why are you asking me?" Audrey protested. "I mean, out of the two of us, aren't you the most professional with neglectful parents?"

"Uh, your parents were hardly there and your grandmother was abusive."

"Uh, your mother practically treated Rapunzel the same way the Goblin King is treating his own flesh and blood!" Audrey gestured at Crystal. "I mean, look at her! Being unable to go out to the human realm more often? She might as well be claustrophobic in her own castle."

"But…"

"You gave _me_ a chance when nobody else would a few days ago," Audrey said quietly. "How is Crystal any different?"

"You're less unbearable than her!"

"When ladies done bickering, maybe comply to wish of Princess?" Beetleglum gently asked the girls. They saw that the sobbing was worsening when Crystal's tears turned into actual crystal balls. "Please make wish for Princess to come with ladies. Princess miserable until Goblin King pass away and Princess become Queen."

"Yes, we know!" Gothy snapped at the goblin. "Ugh! That king makes my mother look like a saint when it comes to neglect! Gothel never bothered to raise her own pinkie when I disobeyed her every day!"

"Disobedience!" Audrey snapped her fingers. "I wish for Crystal Maze to join us on our trip for as long as her disobedience to her father lasts!"

Crystal stopped sobbing, Beetleglum stared at Audrey, Gothy was too speechless, and the Bloody Bambi finished drinking the last blood drop in its bowl.  
"Come again?" Crystal looked at Audrey in equal startle. "What did you wish?"

"I wish for you to come with me, Gothy, and the Bloody Bambi on our trip to find Gothy's sister. For as long as your disobedience to your dad lasts," Audrey repeated herself.

"But… my disobedience to Jareth is _eternal_." Crystal poked Audrey on the nose.

"And last time I checked, you mentioned that whenever you're invited to the mortal realm through wishes, you only get to spend a specific time depending on the wish before you're forced to go back here for the rest of eternity." Audrey gently pushed away the finger. "But, by wishing you to join us as long as you disobey your dad, you might as well consider it as self-imposed exile… until you crack and…"

Audrey didn't get the chance to finish. Crystal was hugging her to the point of constriction.

"You GLORIOUS GENIUS!" Crystal let her go, causing Audrey to collapse a bit. "Wish granted! We're leaving as soon as after breakfast tomorrow! No, wait! We wait until my jerkass father comes home, I trash in front of him, and we make a run for the hills! Beetleglum, my luggage! Now! I'm taking everything, I'm never coming back! No, bring some soda in my room! I'm calling for a three-girls slumber party! OH MY GOSH, LETS DO KARAOKE UNTIL WE YAWN!" Crystal kicked her father's throne off its place and struck a pose. "**LET'S DANCE MAGIC, BECAUSE BY TOMORROW, I AM OUT OF HERE!**"

Gothy merely turned her head and gave a vicious glare at Audrey, who could only give a mere chuckle. "Uh… Just helping another princess be a bit free?"

"Consider yourself lucky that I tolerate you better than most other living freaks out there," Gothy said flatly.


	7. Disagree to Agree

Chapter 7: Disagree to Agree

Lemongrass odors again. Audrey knew immediately that she yet again in another nightmare. Her eyes opened to some pink-colored version of Crystal's father's throneroom. The sharp distinction, however, was that blood was flooding the room. It cascaded down the staircases and it flowed its tranquil way at the bottom of the steps leading to the throne. The regal chair itself was altered from its initial disgusting appearance to one of spinel gemstones carved into roses and the drapes replaced by layers of transparent pearls. Audrey found herself curling into the throne, but why she was trying to keep her distance from the bloody pool, she wasn't sure.

"_Is your throne comfortable, my Queen of Mean?_"

Audrey found herself trapped. The red-coated, redheaded man was sitting just on the throne's backrest, his legs resting on the right armrest. There was no way she could make a run for it in her own nightmare while he sat just above her. She didn't even have to look down at herself to see that for the second nightmare in a row, she was yet again a blonde Queen of Mean.

"I don't want any of this!" Audrey said. "Why can't you see that I don't want to be this?"

"_Only Death can undo the bond, my Queen of Mean. As long as you live, I'm bound to address you as such. I'm bound to treat you with the regality you deserve. It's not my fault if you failed at your own sins_."

"Well I'm not even qualified to be a queen anymore!" Audrey pointed her finger at him. "As far as I'm concerned, my regal status is null and void now!"

"_Banished or not, you're still my Queen of Mean._" The red-colored figure took her pointing hand and patted it gently. "_Running away from your regal duties, causing chaos in Auradon, lying to anarchists about your identity, and using great cleverness in double-abusing the loopholes of that pestering Jareth's brat? Your clever sins only match your fallen angelic beauty._"

Audrey didn't know what to make of that statement. His tone could have suggested that he was really complementing her, but with that indefinable smile of his and the way he was petting her hand as if she were a fragile thing, his honest thoughts could be debatable. She cautiously pulled her hand out of his. "So you claim that you're a demon I summoned?"

"_I didn't claim. I __**confirmed**__._" The demon raised his hand. "_You saw the memories during your last nightmare. You summoned me during that performance of yours back at the museum. Have you ever considered releasing that solo of yours on the radio?_"

"I was brainwashed during the third time I mentioned you," Audrey pointed out.

"_Would you be surprised if I said that demons don't care about whether or not their clients were under the influence during summons? As far as I'm concerned, you still went through it._"

Audrey groaned and slammed her head on the backrest.

"_If it gives you some consolation, my Queen of Mean, you are my first client ever. Granted, I gave you many indulgences by not providing advice to further corrupt you, but you did do a spectacular job on nearly destroying a kingdom. However, because of that near-death experience of yours and the blasted bloodhound… Precautions need to be taken."_

"Let me guess. You don't want to owe it to Hades and because I'm out of Auradon, there's no authority to protect me?"

"_Hades is nothing but a pagan freak; the only death god I obey is the Fallen Angel himself. And I wouldn't go around gossiping about being an ex-princess…_" To Audrey's startle, the demon grabbed her crown and crushed it in his dark-gloved hand. She gulped when she saw the shattered jewelry dissolve into ash. "_The older residents won't be so kind to the offspring of an Auradonian monarch. They'd be seeking vengeance. They'd think your family sent you to spy on them. Bloodshed would eventually lead to the ashen wasteland of the Isle of the Lost, Auradon, and these lands._" Audrey opened her mouth in an attempt to protest, but the demon put two fingers in front of her lips to shut her up. "_I can really care less if this ends up becoming another dream of conquest like your first failed attempt. Can you imagine what would have led you to finally beg for me if you had succeeded?_"

"No," Audrey said flatly, "because I didn't think about it."

"_Of course you didn't._"

"Gee, why would I think about the worst things that could happen? Oh, right. Because I wasn't in my right mind!" Audrey had forgotten where his two fingers had gone, and they had now slithered to her chin. They still gently held on to her small chin, but Audrey felt internal pain where his fingertips touched her skin.

"_Two words my dear Queen of Mean_…" His face was above hers by only a foot, forcing Audrey to hear better the angry volume that seethed through his still neutral smile. "_DESOLATE… ISOLATION! I may be a demon, but I'm familiar with your pathetically inactive family's history. If it weren't for your godmothers' benevolent magic, your kingdom might as well have rotted in their sleep. You, my Queen of Mean, were not that benevolent. You were prepared to have all Auradonian souls rot in slumber or have their skeletons progressively disintegrate as statues. And with everyone in Auradon had died due to your spells, how long until the Isle's residents died from starvation. Last time I checked, Auradon provided it with leftovers. And if we had to imagine that you defeated the source of your petty jealousy? You'd have disposed of the remaining pesky nuisances. And in the end, who'd be left all alone in an empty kingdom while the other side of the Auradon Wall went on with their merry lives, not knowing that those who provoked them into exiles have been disintegrated?"_

"Me?" Audrey asked.

"_Very good. And can you imagine what would have happened to my Queen of Mean if she had succeeded in her plans and suffered the consequences of her desolate isolation_?"

Audrey dared to imagine is oral illustration. Would she have killed herself for pursuing all this evil for naught and find herself in Hell with an angry demon she'd discover she accidentally summoned? Or would he convince her to have him come in the living world and…

"What's your gain in all of this?" Audrey shoved his hand off her face and properly sat up on the throne. The demon still kept that smile of his, but Audrey's reaction did cause him to physically react in a startled fashion. "Because if it was to take Auradon, I don't think I would have shared it! So, thank you, but no thank you! I don't need you to tell me what you think I should be doing with my sins! I already spent my life with people telling me what kind of princess I should be and it didn't work! I'm starting a new life now and nobody, especially not some slasher smiling demon that only shows up in my head!"

"_Good! I was worried you were extinguishing that flame of yours!_" The demon sighed in relief.

Audrey nearly lost her eyeballs. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS IS YOUR IDEA OF A PEP TALK?"

"_What can I say? I prefer shrews over wenches._" He gave her hand another kiss. "_Do keep having more nightmares. I enjoy these chats we have when you sleep_."  
And much to Audrey's chagrin, she woke up before she got the chance to punch him. She found herself in the sleeping bag she had placed herself in over the small mattress Beetleglum had placed for her last night when Crystal had called for a sleepover in her room. To Audrey's relief, the Bloody Bambi had yet again rested underneath her as a furry pillow. It gave her a small lick on the cheek after she greeted it with a warm smile.

"Morning, Bloody Bambi." She caressed it. "Thank goodness you…" Audrey paused when she noticed that the mattress next to hers, the one Gothy was supposed to be sleeping in, was emptying. She looked up to the lousy canopy bed that belonged to Crystal and saw the latter perched on the bedpost, literally leaning down like a owl on a branch as she watched Gothy toss and turn in her bed. As quietly as she could, Audrey tiptoed on the cold stoned floor to reach the bed. Seriously, what kind of bedchamber did the Goblin King provide for his own daughter? The Auradon Prep bathrooms even smelled better than the stench of mud and sweat that filled the bedchamber even though it was shining to the point of giving the wall glitter an extra shine!

"Crystal…" Audrey whispered. Crystal didn't move from her position. Dressed in a brown cotton nightgown, she hugged her legs as she perched to keep watching Gothy sleep. "What is Gothy doing in your bed?" Oh God… Did Crystal…

"She kept tossing and turning in the middle of the night, talking in her sleep… She kept me awake. I moved her to my bed so she'd shut up, and when she did…"

"Don't tell me." Audrey pointed at the dark bags under Crystal's eyes. "You watched her sleep all night?"

"Isn't she gorgeous?" Crystal's tone sounded ever so dreamy. Audrey wanted to gag. Gothy had pretty much told in front of her face that Audrey looked dead whenever the latter slept. Now there was Crystal, already mentally messed up and thrill-seeking, whose current behavior made it clear that her behavior towards Gothy was now more than a mere party flirt. The levels of weirdness in all of this?

"GOTHY!" Audrey screamed. Crystal fell off her position while Gothy catapulted herself awake. Rather alarmed by the scream, Gothy picked up very quickly that something had moved her while she was moving.

"WHY AM I IN YOUR BED, YOU DERANGED NIGHT OWL?" Gothy screamed. Crystal had barely managed to get up from the ground when Gothy tried to slap her on the face with a fancy pillow. Crystal immediately dodged by transforming herself into a burrowing owl. She flew around, dodging Gothy's attempt to shoot her down with whatever item she could grab her hands on before eventually taking refuge on Audrey's head.

"Gothy, don't you dare!" Audrey raised her hands in defense when Gothy started to grab a lamp. Fortunately, a knock on the door forced them to pause.

"Princess! Milady guests! Noble steed! Breakfast!" Beetleglum shouted from the other side of the door. Crystal flew down and transformed back to her human form.

"In a moment!" Crystal turned to the girls. "So, who wants to shower first?"

…

Audrey was the last one to shower, and even after 10 minutes of hard scrubbing and triple-doses of shampoo, towel rubbing, and hair drying, the glitter on her hair still hadn't removed itself from her locks. She groaned and just went for having it loose while putting on some clothes. Though she aimed for a matching pink T-shirt and pants very much untouched by the glitter, she put her vest back on. At least the small patches of glitter that got stuck on the vest made the dark fabric sparkle in a subtle fashion.

She finally stepped out of the bathroom. Beetleglum just finished pouring hot cocoa with marshmallows in three crystal mugs. The Bloody Bambi was yet again drinking from a bowl of blood and Crystal and Maze were starting on the food waiting at the coffee table: freshly baked bread with marmalade and fruit salads.

"This stupid glitter won't come off!" Audrey showed off her hair to the others.

"I'm pretty sure I wasn't too drunk last night when I told you that this glitter sticks permanently on those with Fae magic." Crystal drank her cup. "It's my dad's way of figuring out which visitors of his aren't human… and also his way of doing a retro fashion statement. Sorry, but you're gonna have to learn to live with it."

"I do like the glitter on the vest, though. It's a good look on you," Gothy complimented.

They proceeded to eat for the next minutes. Though the diversity of marmalades was delicious, Gothy and Audrey quickly learned to NEVER bring up the idea of peach-flavored marmalade to Crystal. The latter had a massive hatred and allergy to peaches.

"So how soon do we leave?" Gothy asked Crystal.

"As soon as I pack up, throw a massive roast at my dad, and make a run for the hills to reach the doorway. But knowing Jareth, he'll know that I'll try to go to my friend's town, so I first need to throw him off the scent… Genius idea! I'll use him as a scapegoat for the Living Tar!"

Audrey nearly choked on her toast. The reference of 'Living Tar' gave her flashbacks of the chase back in Corona. The sentient black ooze that had erupted out of nowhere and practically stalked the girls until they were out. It came from these parts. "Wh… What exactly is the Living Tar?"

"An ooze that protects the doorway leading to the Fae Realm."

Audrey frowned. "I thought the Fae Moorways…"

"Yeah, those moors are just to give mortals better access to the Fae services they need. The _Fae Realm_, however, is the original homeland of all Fae. It was _never _touched when the world suddenly changed, it's still in one piece, and all Fae in the world are subjects to the monarchs, especially to the Queen's line descended from the Fae gods Titania and Oberon. The Fae Realm prince is the head honcho and _massive_ about keeping the other Fae in check. He also doesn't like Jareth or me so scapegoating Jareth to have the prince think that Jareth is messing with him again will drive him _nuts!_ But still nuts enough for us to leave our merry way while Jareth is too distracted!"

Audrey thought the plan sounded rational, but the part about the Living Tar still shook her. "Crystal, what exactly makes the Living Tar… alive in its use?"

"Besides magic fueling it? Primarily to defend the Fae deities' heir and chase down those that the Fae Realm prince has problems with. He's abused it a bit to satisfy his girlfriend's greedy needs."

Audrey couldn't eat anymore. The Living Tar had chased her and Gothy in Corona due to the magic left in her from her experience wielding Maleficent's staff. Audrey didn't even know much about the lands she was in, but she managed to understand very quickly that whoever the Fae Realm Prince was, he seemed to have had a problem with Maleficent. Why he'd send the Living Tar in Auradon, Audrey didn't know, but it was very likely that he didn't know that the Mistress of Evil was now a lizard and Audrey was the last person to use Mal's mother's magic. And the magic was developing within her. The Living Tar must have confused Audrey's magic for Maleficent's old magic.

When they were done eating, Beetleglum cleared the dishes. Crystal showed her epic packing skills by summoning purple-colored crystal balls and throwing them around her bedroom. Each crystal ball sucked a piece of furniture, clothing, accessory, book, and other items, and when each crystal ball had collected the materials, it shrunk to fit inside Crystal's brown briefcase. It was a nice spectacle, seeing the crystal balls float and shrink into her briefcase like a strange gust of magic. In less than five minutes, all the crystal balls Crystal had summoned were sealed in her briefcase. She locked the briefcase's owl lid with the combination. Only her naked bed and desk were left.

"Well I'm ready. But I still want to rub it on Jareth's face."

"Is it necessary?" Gothy asked. "I want do find my sister as soon as possible and you don't even know what time the king's coming back!"

The castle walls suddenly shook. From the window, they could see the bright blue sky suddenly turning white with grey clouds. Throughout the castle, the Goblin City, and the surrounding labyrinth, agitated screams from the Fae citizens were expanding.

"Milady spoke too soon!" Beetleglum struggled to stand up on his small feet. "Goblin King HOME!"

"**CRYSTAL!**" A voice boomed over the walls.

"ALRIGHT, TIGHT WINGS! I'M COMING!" Crystal rudely shouted before then whispering to Beetleglum. "Sneak them out through the castle gardens."

"Yes, Princess."

While Crystal went down the right hallway towards the throneroom, Beetleglum led the others towards the left hallway. Still, Audrey stopped behind them and watched where Crystal was going. What would happen if things didn't go as Crystal planned? At this stage, her father could probably do worse things. And Audrey, in a sense, related well with Crystal's rather lousy life as a princess.

It was probably only ten minutes later that the others would discover that Audrey went after Crystal.

…

Audrey cautiously hid behind the open doorway leading to the throneroom. Crystal and Jareth were arguing while the latter stood angrily in front of his throne. With her heeled boots on, Crystal's head leveled her father's neck.

"… Raising you to be my heir and _this _is my compensation?" The king snarled. "The repugnant smell of mortals and intoxication is still present in this castle despite how many times you have the goblins clean it up!"

"And you wonder why I have the place stink? You mask your nostrils at the smell of mortals faster than you have goblins run at the mention of Bog of Eternal Stench!" Crystal talked back.

"For once, you'd it kill you to obey me? At least once?"

"Aw, what's the matter? Your unrequited love interest still told you no again?" Crystal snorted. "I don't blame her."

Jareth got angry and summoned a clear-white crystal ball. Audrey dreaded that he'd throw it at his own child, but instead he threw it in the air. Lights started spinning around the throneroom and music randomly accompanying it. Apparently, that's what the two royalties did as arguing.

Jareth: _Spoiled little thing,_

_You forget I'm the Goblin King_

_And here, I'm everyone's master!_

_By now, you should have gotten the clue!_

Crystal: _Oh, wasn't that why Sarah dumped you?_

Jareth: _Don't you dare get started on the matter!_

Crystal: _King, suitor, or dad, you stink!_

Jareth: _Could use some respect, don't you think?_

Crystal: _Between you and me, you're the lousiest seductor!_

_For thirty years, she gave you a clear no._

_You stole her blood when she slept though._

Jareth: _You're lecturing ME? FYI, I'm a child abductor!_

Crystal: _Don't expect some gratitude from me_

Jareth: _I'd prefer some gratitude_

Both: _I disagree to agree._

Audrey noticed that behind another doorway, some goblins were randomly doing background vocals while Crystal continued to have a musical argument with her father.

Jareth: _I'm the one who leads the dance_

Crystal: _And you wonder why I don't give you a chance!_

Jareth: _Well let me tell you something, missy!_

_The only thing you got from me is to disagree to agree!_

Jareth jumped in a slouching pose on his throne, only to start jumping out of it when Crystal threw her crystal balls at him like snowballs that exploded into clouds of glitter every time they missed him and hit the wall.

Crystal: _You're a sore loser!_

_That underage gal made it clear!_

_I represent how you can't handle a 'no!'_

Jareth: _It's called tough love for a reason, Bog Booger!_

_I wouldn't be a villain without fear_

_And giving everyone their sense of woe!_

Crystal: _How the mighty have fallen!_

Jareth: _Before throwing more spite and strife,_

_Don't forget that my actions gave you life._

_She was practically your blood donor…_

Crystal: _Drop down the nonsense!_

_It won't work in your defense!_

_I mean, hello, you practically acted like a b…_

Audrey shuddered at the rhyme Crystal came up with. Still, in all the audacity, she was rather impressed by how Crystal practically trash-talked her father. It wasn't something Audrey was familiar with.

Crystal: _Don't expect some gratitude from me_

Jareth: _I'd prefer some gratitude_

Both: _I disagree to agree._

Crystal: _I'm the one who starts the dance_

_And I never needed you to give me that chance!_

Jareth: _Well let me tell you something, missy!_

_The only thing you got from me is to disagree to agree!_

Jareth: _Admit it, you're also guilty of sultry tastes!_

Crystal: _Except I handle them while you whine of your wastes!_

Jareth: _And you wonder why you aren't crowned?_

Crystal: _And you wonder why you never got the rebound?_

Jareth: _Grow up a bit!_

Crystal: _Than stop acting like shit!_

Both: _You got no power over me, you twit!_

Jareth: _Dance, magic dance!_

Both: _I'm the one who leads the dance_

_And you wonder why I never give you a chance!_

_Well let me tell you something, silly!_

_The only thing you got from me_

_The only thing you got from me_

_The only thing you got from me is to disagree to agree!_

The music ended. Though their tones had lowered down, the angers were still there.

"Well, that stank!" Crystal shrugged. "I'm gone!" She started making her way out when Jareth grabbed her by her coat's collar.

"You expect to run off?" He laughed. "You're bound to my Labyrinth for the end of times! Ring a bell?"

"Sorry. I got wished to leave for as long as my disobedience to you lasts. Oh wait! My disobedience goes to the ends of time! Ring a bell?" Crystal shoved her father's hand away. "Consider me banished until you finally pass down the crown, _dear old daddy!_"

"Clearly you've forgotten who you're talking to!" Jareth pressed his right fingers together. A crystal ball appeared, only compared to the small sizes he and Crystal previously summoned, this one was the size equivalent for fortune-tellers. "A strike on your head with this would earn me your _eternal obedience!_"

From her hiding spot, Audrey panicked. The king was ready to brainwash his own heir into obedience, and if he succeeded, there would go the group's ticket of going further in the trip. She had to do something, but what? She couldn't even perform a spell from a witchcraft beginners' book and the one spell she could do only enchanted a van.

Audrey rechecked the scene. Crystal was now flying around the throneroom, avoiding the massive crystal balls that Jareth threw at her like magical cannonballs. The walls were getting insanely glittery as each crystal ball shattered.

Crystal ball… how did they move their fingers when summoning them? Audrey pressed her right fingers together as if to form a small triangle. _I need a ball… I need a ball. Or, anything that I can hit his head with!_ A small pink glow came and… a spinel ball the size of her fist stood at the tip of her fingers.

"Great," she muttered.

"HOLD STILL, YOU BRAT!" Jareth had tripped on a stone after yet again another failed attempt to shoot Crystal. His back was turned on the doorway where Audrey was hidden. Apparently, things couldn't get any easier. Audrey stood up and immediately threw the spinel ball at Jareth, hitting him right in the head. The king stood still, dropping the crystal ball he had just generated, and in a matter of seconds, he dropped on the ground. When he looked dead, Audrey cautiously stepped out of her hiding spot while Crystal transformed out of her owl appearance. A snore escaped the king's lips.

"Are you _serious_ right now?" Audrey exclaimed.

"You hit my dad on the head." Crystal gave a toothy grin.

"I hit him with a _sleeping spell_? Ugh! The universe hates me!"

"Relax!" Crystal clapped her hands in delight. "He's Fae! He doesn't have to worry about the whole kissy wake-up-call. But that means we only have twenty-nine minutes to get the Hell out of here." She grabbed Audrey by the arm and led her out of the throneroom.

_Many minutes later_

Gothy had panicked when just after Beetleglum led her and the Bloody Bambi out of the Labyrinth, they realized that Audrey hadn't been following. And after nearly ten minutes of debating whether to wait or go back for them, Crystal and Audrey came running out of a pathway.

"What's wrong with you people?" Gothy shouted. "Is it the day of giving me a heart attack?"

"Relax, Gorgeous," Crystal said while trying to catch some air. "Pink Fingers here just saved my hide."

"Pink Fingers?" Audrey frowned at Crystal's idea of a new nickname, but the Fae ignored her to continue talking. Th Bloody Bambi, in the meantime, gave Audrey both a cuddle and a stern glance that matched Gothy's in anger.

"Turns out she managed to survive my usual musical arguments with Jareth- don't ask- and he was going to brainwash me into obedience when she threw her own magic ball at his head!"

Gothy stared at Audrey. "You did that?"

"Hey, I had no idea what would happen! I still don't get why it made him fall asleep...for only 29 minutes."

"You _made_ a crystal ball?"

"Well it was actually a spinel ball…"

"_When _did you learn?" Gothy was unconvinced. "You said you were unable to perform any spell from Ingwer Hexe's spellbook!"

"The daughter of the Candy Witch?" Crystal laughed her head off. She had to rest on a rock to wear down her laughter. "You guys honestly thought that Pink Fingers was going to perform witch magic with _Fae_ magic?" She eventually stopped laughing and gave them a serious tone. "You'd be lost without me!"

Audrey moved her fingers again to recreate another spinel ball to show the others. "Kind of impressive," Gothy admitted.

"Yeah, but it's still a sleeping spell!" Audrey protested. "You know how things spectacularly went down for me the last time I casted a sleeping curse!"

"Yes, well next time, think harder on the specific jinx before you randomly toss it around." Crystal said dismissively. "Can we go now? Jareth will wake up soon and we still need to get out to create the diversion."

"Insensitive much?" Gothy told Crystal.

"I'm being serious! Look, props for casting a complicated spell as a beginner, but you DO NOT want to be around when he…"  
A massive earthquake shook the entire kingdom. In the distance, clouds of crystal balls exploded their way out of the castle windows. "**CRYSTAL MAAAAAAAAAAAAAZE!**"

"Goblin King angry! Goblin King angry!" Beetleglum shrieked.

"Beetleglum, go back to the kitchens! Jareth will bog you if he finds out you helped me!" Crystal told the goblin, who immediately ran for the labyrinth. As for Crystal, she immediately began lifting Audrey and Gothy onto the Bloody Bambi. How she managed to lift them up like feathers while each carried a backpack, they didn't know. Crystal then threw one of her crystal balls at her briefcase, shrinking it so that once she transformed into a burrowing owl, she managed to snatch it with her beak and fly up to Audrey's shoulder. "WILL YOU TELL YOUR STEED TO MOVE IT ALREADY? IF MY DAD CATCHES, HE'LL MAKE SURE THAT OUR HEADS NEVER STICK OUT OF THE BOG OF ETERNAL STENCH!"


	8. The Living Tar And The Fae Realm Prince

Chapter 8: The Living Tar And The Fae Realm Prince

The Bloody Bambi managed to jump through the doorway. After going through the weird motion again, Audrey was dissatisfied to see more glitter on her. Just as they had landed on the familiar grass of the Fae Moorways, the doorway leading to the Underground agitated viciously.

"Hurry to your left!" Crystal hooted. "Go until you see a fancy door with two guards!"

The Bloody Bambi made a run for it. They didn't bother to turn their heads back; judging by the sounds of breaking crystal and some passerby screaming, Jareth was forcing his way out.

"Keep running!" Crystal flew around and started scratching Gothy.

"Hey, what gives?" Gothy yelled as the princess managed to cut through her sleeves and give her some bleeding cuts. Crystal then morphed back into a human, and despite running as fast as she could to be at the stag's side, she managed to summon a crystal ball and toss it at Gothy. Audrey held on to her as the latter got transformed into some brunette in her late forties. Crystal proceeded to change herself as well, only as some blonde male in his early thirties and bothering to change her regal clothes into that of a middle-class man. Just ahead, the doorway that Crystal had mentioned was coming to view. It was probably the biggest doorway they had seen yet: ten feet tall with golden vines intertwined in masses to create thick columns, each decorated with purple flowers. Two guards, both covered in silver armor and showing off large butterfly wings on their backs, guarded the doorway.

"Guards! Guards, help us!" Crystal shouted. Even her voice had changed to fit that of an adult male. "The Goblin King is after us?"

"Why would the Goblin King be after you?" One of the guards, the thinnest one, approached them.

"It's terrible! He's tried to kidnap my big sister Sarah again!"  
"Oh no, not again," the other guard grumbled. "This guy just can't take no for an answer!"

"Are you Tobias and Sarah Williams?" The first guard asked Crystal. He even went on to pat her back in comfort.

"Yes! We were just helping our friend here travel to Victoriannapolis, and just like that, he kidnapped us when we planned on leaving the Watchful Highlands! See what he tried to do with Sarah? If it weren't for our friend here, the Goblin King would have had his way with Sarah!"

"Victoriannapolis?" The guard shuddered. "The place is infested with iron! No wonder you wanted to go there!"

"Don't worry! If you go east, you'll find a river. There's an assortment of boats you can purchase to make your way there!" The other guard said. "Hurry off! We'll finally give him the arrest he needs!"

"Thank you _ever_ so much!" Crystal ushered the Bloody Bambi to follow her. The moment they reached a massive boulder at a decent distance from the doorway, however, Crystal pulled them behind it.

"What are you doing?" Gothy demanded as Crystal gave them their initial appearances back.

"Waiting to watch my dad get temporarily arrested." Crystal snickered as she looked over the boulder. Jareth had caught up to the fancy doorway and the two guards were tackling him despite the many crystal balls he threw at them. Their armors emitted golden glows that immunized them from his spells.

"We really shouldn't be here." Audrey shook her head.

"Come on, Pink Fingers! Who knows when I'll get such entertainment?" Crystal clapped her hands when she saw Jareth ditch spells and resort to wrestling with no luck. The fat guard managed to pin him down while the thinnest guard handcuffed Jareth and did some rant about finally being trialed for 'not staying out of an uninterested woman's business'.

"It's not that! Crystal, there's something you need to know about…"

A flowing sound alerted them. All four stuck out from the boulder to see the Fae Realm doorway opening out and releasing the Living Tar. While Jareth squirmed in fear when it looked like the Living Tar was slowly flowing towards him and burning the grass under its dark ooziness, his expression became puzzled when the Living Tar suddenly changed directions and slithered rapidly towards the group. The Bloody Bambi wasted no time in forcing the three girls on its back and making a run for it. The Living Tar hissed furiously and the two guards, seeing that they've been duped, ditched Jareth to pursue the group.

"CARE TO ENTERTAIN ME AS TO WHY THE LIVING TAR IS CHASING US?" Crystal shouted.

"IT'S MY FAULT!" Audrey held on to the Bloody Bambi as it moved in circles around the doorways, dodging the Living Tar. It was impressive how the animal managed to move around so fast while carrying three times more than usual. "THE LAST TIME WE RAN INTO THAT THING, IT FOLLOWED US OUT OF CORONA! IT STOPPED CHASING US AND WE DIDN'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION!"

"WHY WOULD THE LIVING TAR BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIST? THE FAE REALM PRINCE ONLY USES IT ON PEOPLE WHO BUG HIM ON THESE PARTS!" Crystal then glared furiously at Audrey. "PINK FINGERS, WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR MAGIC FROM?"

Out of nowhere, a pair of golden bolas swung and tied up the front legs of the Bloody Bambi, causing it to tumble. The girls fell off its back; Gothy landed on Crystal and the Bloody Bambi had to bite on Audrey's backpack to keep her from falling over the edge and landing in the watery bottom of a gorge. At the same time, the Living Tar went on to move and create a semi-circular moat of dangerous fluids. At this rate, the girls were running out of options.

"Well, well, well." A figure swooped down from the sky and landed on the Living Tar, which moved to create a solid staircase for him to walk down. The fellow, in Audrey's perspective, was probably around the same as Ben or maybe somewhere around seventeen. If Crystal managed to tower over Gothy and Audrey with her heeled boots, the fellow managed to tower over them in natural height. He was both alluring and terrifying. His facial features were charming but his dry-skin exoskeleton and lack of hair for horns forming a twisted crown were nightmarish. His dragonfly wings had rainbow-like membranes that shone under the few sunrays, creating a beautiful rainbow effect while his sharp nails made a scathing sound on a nearby rock that he touched. He wore a dark green leaf tunic, a golden sash, dark blue pants and fingerless gloves, and cyan blue snakeskin, open-toed gladiator boots. "If it isn't the _fake _Goblin princess herself."

Crystal straightened herself and gave a small curtsy. "_Marius Bogfae._ Your Majesty…"  
"If this is one of your immature ideas of a prank, consider me not humored." Prince Marius sank his fist onto the rock he had scratched, scattering it into marble-sized chunks. Gothy looked unfazed, Crystal worked on keeping her ground, and Audrey hid behind the Bloody Bambi while she worked on removing the bolas from its legs.

"I hate both you and your father. You know that, right?" Prince Marius coldly asked Crystal.

"And here I thought you'd finally like to have him behind bars for child kidnapping, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse." Unlike the way she had been talking to or about Gothy, Crystal was obviously not trying to flirt her way out of this.

"Not because of your own trickery. And if I had it any other way, I'd have convinced my beloved to have your entire kingdom buried within the stench of your Bog."

Audrey managed to remove the bolas from the Bloody Bambi's legs.

"We admit in taking part of the Royal Laziness' idiotic prank, but we needed Jareth out of our hair. Crystal Maze is currently undergoing a contract with us that might last… an uncertain amount of time," Gothy explained as calmly as she could. Prince Marius merely looked at her in indifference. His nostrils, however, agitated as if to pick up some kind of scent. In less than two seconds, he had flown over to where Audrey and the Bloody Bambi stood. The animal bared its unusual sharp teeth at him, but the prince remained as stoic as stone. He stared back at the Living Tar, which agitated and hissed in its own abstract way of nodding.

"For a high form of sentient magical security, you waste my time with a useless Auradonian princess and her pathetic excuse of a therapy pet," Prince Maris snarled at the Living Tar before giving Audrey another one of his cold glares. "I should just have you shoved down the gorge. It will spare everyone the desire of mauling you."

Audrey stared at him. The prince was definetly nothing like those she had been surrounded with in Auradon. He was cynical, indifferent, and clearly had the tight fists of someone who'd rule with an iron fists. His words even reminded Audrey of the words her demon had spoken during their encounter last night in her sleep. _The older residents won't be so kind to the offspring of an Auradonian monarch. They'd be seeking vengeance._

"And you have every right," Audrey said quietly. "There's nothing that can convince you that I might be any different from my family. There's nothing that I can say that can beg you to spare me. The magic in me won't leave even though it was never mine to begin with. The only thing I can hope is that you can imagine why I left Auradon… and after what I went through and what I just saw, it's unlikely that I'll ever go back."

The Living Tar moved as if to await its master's decision. Gothy and Crystal looked overtaken with anxiety and the Bloody Bambi further barricaded Audrey from the prince. The latter still didn't budge, but his indifferent frown had partially changed.

"Your family doesn't know you're here?"

"They probably do. One of their fellow monarchs didn't make a big deal of it when one of her bloodhounds bit my ankle before I crossed the mist."

"So you have no moral guilt in abandoning your old life, your status, and your general regal destiny?"

"I never had a destiny. I'm creating one."  
He merely shrugged and started walking away from them. Crystal and Gothy rushed to Audrey. "You three had better get the Hell out of the Fae Moorways." He pointed back at Audrey. Try to make a U-turn back to Auradon and I will kill you."

"It wouldn't be the first time I almost faced death," Audrey said.

He ignored her and glared at Crystal. "Knowing you, you'll be meeting up with that pesky friend of yours in Macabretown?"

"My friend isn't pesky," Crystal spoke in defense.

"I don't care. Have her dispose of that destitute princess' stench unless you want things to slide down… FOR GOOD!" Marius Bogfae flew up from the ground and snapped his fingers. The Living Tar agitated and sawed its way into the ground. The edge the group stood on shook violently and began to crumble. When the Living Tar erupted out and moved away, the majority of the edge fell in a landslide towards the bottom of the gorge. The girls screamed as they fell and it was pure luck if Crystal had enough time to throw out a crystal ball and create a small yacht. It was perfectly positioned to catch the four of them and sail through the rapids and avoid the shower of rocks, grass, and mud. The prince watched as the yacht sailed towards the northeast. Once he had sworn that their screams were out of his ears' reach, he snapped his fingers. The Living Tar moved to flow by his side.

"Not a word to my beloved and have the twins spy on the group. Especially the ex-Auradonian princess."

The Living Tar hissed.

"No. I can tell she means no ill will. But if she starts becoming a problem, we'll dispose of her."

_Meanwhile, back in Auradon_

To say that Audrey's family hadn't overdosed in caffeine and ice cream would be like lying about how one failed to pull an all-nighter. They hadn't put their feet back in their own kingdom and mostly stuck around with Ben's family.

Celia and Queen Leah didn't get the chance to privately talk with Dr. Facilier about the 'friend from the other side' who had broken into Audrey's dorm room. The first reason was because Dr. Facilier had been invited to New Orleans to patch things up with his old foes, and the second reason was because of a massive news report that had caught Ben's attention and forced him to summon anyone (his friends, his fiancée, his parents, his ex-girlfriend's family, Fairy Godmother, and his future father-in-law). They were currently in a room in the castle, watching the TV as the screen depicted images of vandalism: castle stained glass windows, the True Love window, tapestries, posters, and pictures, anything that had an association with Audrey's family or similar association had been vandalized. The family portraits and stained glass windows all looked as if something massive had punched or clawed them out and leaving only Audrey's face untouched. Pictures hanging around Auradon Prep had disfigured the faces of Audrey's former cheerleading team, and whatever pictures she once had of her time with Ben had been ruined so that she was intact while his picture was practically slashed.

"_All these events of vandalism have occurred days after another typical disappearance of Princess Audrey. Where she went and why, nobody really cares,_" the female reporter said on the screen. "_The only thing we care about is if the Queen of Mean is on another one of her rampages…_"

Mal was the first to react and turn off the TV. "We all know that there's no way Audrey did this," she said. Everyone stared at her like it was obvious. "But if it's not her, who is it?" Then came the part where Celia explained to everyone what she and Audrey's grandmother had seen a few nights back. After she was done, the only thing they got was Hades' dry laughter.

"Error in judgment…" Hades laughed. "You should have never asked me to revive her!"

Mal looked at her father in shock. "Why would you say that? You know we had to save her!"

"Maybe…" Hades checked his blue-polished nails. "But who I should pity the most, I don't have the foggiest clue. Then again, the spoiled thing probably doesn't know that her demon is seeking to satisfy her behind her back."

"You can't be serious!" The Fairy Godmother shook her head.

"Our daughter would never summon something out of Hell!" Phillip protested.

"Well not right in her right mind…" Hades groaned in exasperation. "Really? Am I the only one who gets it? The circular portal that dragged the tar away from her, whatever force sent that deranged stag to act as her guard dog, the thing that stole her dress, and the vandalism acts that obviously kept her pretty face intact? And Celia mentioning that the thing referred to the spoiled thing as 'my queen'? It's obvious that against her senses, probably because everyone made her feel useless and pushed her towards villainy, she called out for a demon to serve her."

"But she was brainwashed by Mom's scepter. Even if what you say is true, Audrey wasn't herself…"

"Brainwashed or not, she still summoned a demon," Hades told Mal flatly. "Demons don't care if their clients were intoxicated or not. The clients summoned them with the specific methods to summon them specifically, so the specific demons have to serve the specific clients. End of story."

"So the demon only wants her best interests?" Hubert asked.

"In his twisted way, yeah." Hades had now pulled out a phone to see the pictures of the vandalism on social media. "Big points to him. He actually cleared out all the debris. I can't even tell which demon he is."  
"But don't you rule all things hellish?" Evie raised her hand. "Can't you just snap your fingers and tell him to leave her alone?"

"I only rule the Underworld. Not Hell itself." Hades shook his head. "I'm a mere pagan deity who had to micromanage the dead that weren't virtuous enough to go to Heaven or sinful enough to go to Hell. Hell is where all the demons live. The actual purgatory is under the Underworld."

"Lucifer actually exists?" Jay nodded. "Kind of cool."

"Are you people serious?" Hades was exasperated. "It never occurred to you that the fallen angel existed? YOU GOT MONOTHEIST SITES IN AURADON!" He partially burned the tip of a curtain that stood behind his chair. Fortunately, they came prepared with fire extinguishers and were able to put out the sparks.

"I know it's out of your reach, but do you know if there's a way to untether my granddaughter from the demon?" Queen Leah quietly asked Hades.

"Her death. The whole point behind summoning a demon is that the demon is supposed to watch the client's back until the client dies. Then again, whether the details were complex in the summoning or not, I don't know if whatever demon Audrey summoned will treat the deed as unpaid. There's a reason why we call the term 'deal with the devil'. Whatever the case, you can't expect me to undo such a contract."

"But if the demon is probably keeping an eye on Audrey, why is it vandalizing Auradon?" Mal raised her hand.

"Well in fairness, a lot of you gave her a bad time. And I did say that the demon wants Audrey's best interests in a twisted way. He can't physically leave Hell, but he can send manifestations of himself to either protect her or harass those who wronged his client. Right now he's mostly harmed people associated with her family- parents, grandparents, and family foe's daughter, but how long before he starts plaguing all of Auradon? Tough question."

A lot of them groaned. To think that right now, Audrey was probably in some sort of peril that they couldn't save her from or that she was oblivious about. Well, at least that's what they thought.

_Back in the Fae Moorways_

The sky had cleared up a bit in fogginess and the sunset was beautifully reflecting on the river now that the crystal yacht had reached calmer waters. They were now sailing in parts that were getting less and less frequented by magical doorways and more by natural trees. Well, they looked like natural trees, but the sunset rays did give the leaves a sparkling effect. Gothy had just finished cooking her hazelnut soup in the yacht's functional kitchen and brought the bowls on the main deck just in time for Audrey to finish explaining everything to Crystal. And there was no way to exaggerate the frustration she had that Audrey and Gothy had yet to discover.

"So if I get this straight, you temporarily stole your mother's arch-foe's magical scepter… AND YOU DIDN'T THINK ONE SHIT SECOND OF SIDE EFFECTS?" Crystal screamed loud enough for nearby wild birds to fly away into the clouds.

"It's not like I asked for it!" Audrey protested while the Bloody Bambi rested by her side. "Besides, it's not like I could talk to anyone about it back in Auradon! So yeah, I ran away to catch a break! I had no clue about why the Living Tar chased me back in Corona, and when you brought it up back at your castle, I worried that it chased me because it probably mistook me for Maleficent…"  
"Princess, there's no way you could pass off as her." Gothy gave Audrey a bowl. "I already told you I saw what her horns hide."

"Forget horns, Gorgeous!" Crystal snapped. "I told you two that unless it was against people who bugged Marius Bogfae, the Living Tar only chases people that his girlfriend deals with!" She shuddered in disgust. "Ooh, I'd rather drown my way to Hell in the Bog of Eternal Stench than be dragged in that witch's business! But I've been dying to get out of the Underground for a massive amount of time, and I am _not_ messing that up because of some poorly-minded princess!"

"Hey, that poorly-minded princess saved your hide _three _times!" Gothy snapped at Crystal. "First time with her wish, second time when she gave your dad a concussion, and third time with that abomination of royalty!"

"And that's why we need to double-up the precautions!" Crystal insisted and pulled out a calendar. "OK, if we're fast enough and stay away from any local villages, we might just be able to sail through the river, go through some valleys, and eventually reach the marshes outside Macabretown by next Wednesday! We find my friend, she pulls some strings, and we get that Auradonian scent off Pink Fingers!"

Audrey reached out her hand to the Bloody Bambi, letting it gently sniff her fingers and give them some small licks. "My scent would attract those who'd kill me because my family was among the monarchs who provoked them into exile." It still amazed her that Marius Bogfae was willing to let her off the hook and let her blend in… depending how long it would take him to change his mind and call his supposedly psychotic girlfriend.

Crystal calmed down, took a deep breath, and clasped her hands together. "You two got to understand. You're now on the turf of heroes, villains, and antiheroes that you're unfamiliar about and don't understand. Many of them have either gotten over the pasts conflicts or haven't, made new lives, have their lives in common, but _one _thing they have in common is that if they start seeing Auradonian royalty snooping around, they _will _pull their guns out. My own father agreed that he'd unleash his worst forces if Auradon tried to remove him from his turf. Gorgeous, you don't have this problem because you spent your entire life on a secluded island stripped from the mainland, but Pink Fingers practically carries the Auradonian stench that shields her own body odor identity card. Once we get to Macabretown, it's bye-bye Princess Pink Fingers and hello independent, free Pink Fingers. You guys understand?"

Both girls nodded.

"Good. And Pink Fingers, once we dock tomorrow, you're going to destroy that book that Hexe girl gave you. Witch magic won't help you improve your Fae magic so that it's less 'clingy because you initially robbed it' and more 'individually reliant because it's part of you.' Starting tomorrow, I'm going to help you learn the basics behind Fae magic, and hopefully you'll get a better hang of it by the time we reach Macabretown."

Audrey nodded. Crystal final sat down and ate some soup. "Hey, this is probably the best soup I've eaten in my life!" Her eyes gleamed. "Nice work, smuggling microscopic pinch of cinnamon!"

Gothy was surprised. A speck of cinnamon was her absolute secret touch in hazelnut soup and with all the layers of hazelnut, few herbs, liquids, and sharp condiments, she was stunned that Crystal was able to detect the small pinch of sweetness that she always refused to admit.

Then again, Crystal was already a weird person.

_An hour or two later_

The crystal yacht was still sailing through the currents, creating a rocking movement that further deepened the slumber of Gothy and Crystal. While they slept in their individual cabins, Audrey was in hers with the Bloody Bambi. The beast stared at her as she went over the three pages of _The Pros And Cons of Summoning Demons_.

A lot of people get that gut feeling that makes them feel guilty over doing a necessary deed that has them lie to those they care. Audrey knew there was no way she could explain her involuntary contract with a demon she didn't know. And she didn't know enough about demons, which was enough to tell her what she had to do next. She grabbed the three pages in her hand and ripped them off the book.

"A small secret between you and me?" Audrey looked at the Bloody Bambi, who gave her a nod. She folded the torn pages and hid them within the confinements of her wallet. She'd eventually need to find a better place in her backpack to hide the pages.

_I was worried you were extinguishing that flame of yours._

"I hope that freak of a demon finally lets me catch some sleep tonight," Audrey muttered.


	9. Teaching Audrey Magic

Chapter 9: Teaching Audrey Magic

It rather surprised Audrey that the demon hadn't showed up to give her one of his demented pep talks in one of her nightmares. Heck, the fact that she had a tranquil, dreamless night for once felt like a relief. However, it was sensing a tertiary presence that alarmed Audrey into opening her eyes. She was covered by her cloak as a makeshift blanket while her body was cuddling on the cabin's bunk bed and the Bloody Bambi was sleeping on the floor, which was definetly expected. What wasn't expected was waking up to see Crystal sitting on a chair and eyeing Audrey… in a less weird fashion than she had watched Gothy sleep.

"Wow. Gorgeous wasn't kidding when she said you didn't snore in your sleep, Pink Fingers," Crystal said. "It's creepy."

Audrey narrowed her eyes. "Creepier than you watching people in their sleep?"

Crystal shook her head. "Nah. When Gorgeous sleeps, she looks like an _actual _Sleeping Beauty in my perspective. You, on the other hand, slept a lot. It's already 10am and when Gorgeous mentioned that you practically look dead in your snore-lacking sleep, I rushed to make sure that you were still alive."

"And you couldn't just have shaken me up?" Audrey forced herself off the bed and stretched.

"Why? Your pet was sleeping easily. I figured that he wouldn't be so relaxed if you had suddenly gotten a stroke." Right on cue, the Bloody Bambi lifted its head up. Its eyes stared at Crystal in a rather grumpy fashion. "Hey, don't look at me!" Crystal raised her hands. "You shouldn't even be sleeping on your job!"

The Bloody Bambi made some sort of grumpy sound and bared its teeth at Crystal, who looked unimpressed.

"She's just jealous because you do a great job." Audrey gave another affectionate caress down the stag's neck. It gave her an affectionate sound.

"As touching as it is, we docked by a secluded grove," Crystal told Audrey. "Gorgeous is out picking berries and herbs for lunch. You and I will get started on your magic training as soon as you dress up."

_Minutes later_

The moment Audrey tossed the spellbook in the air at Crystal's request, the latter threw a crystal ball at it. The impact created a small fire and Audrey watched the remains sprinkle onto the grass, but instead of ashes, Crystal made it rain glitter.

"Fae Magic 101 is now in session!" Crystal opened her briefcase and threw out the crystal ball that released a chalkboard. Audrey still wasn't sure why Crystal had a chalkboard in her room and decided to bring it along. First thing to know," Crystal kept talking as she wrote and sketched things on the chalkboard, "is that magic is _very _abstract. Its use is almost the same equivalent as holding a knife. You can either use the knife for something as harmless as cutting cheese or for something lethal by taking the life out of something. Are you catching this?"

"I… think?"

"OK, let's use some examples. What are some examples of evil and good Fae magic that you can think of?"

"My fairy godmothers for the good and Maleficent for the bad." Audrey's easy response led to Crystal scolding her with a knock on the top of Audrey's head.

"It was a trick question, Pink Fingers! There's no such thing as good or bad magic!" Crystal snapped. "This is what happens when oral folklore and movies get to your head! When someone uses magic against moral means, people go on to label it as 'evil magic' and it brainwashes the non-magical into chasing you with pitchforks! What… DID YOU LEARN?" Crystal raised her voice.

"Magic is abstract and people are stupid?" Audrey offered.

"Very good. On to the second thing." Crystal moved back to the chalkboard and showed this doodle she made of a person with a speech bubble making a plant grown. "Contrary to witches and sorcerers who resort to spells indoctrinated by their communities into law books, Fae folk are superior on the magical branches. Short version, you and I can create our own spells for everything." In one swipe, she flipped the chalkboard. As it spun into a small gust of glitter, it progressively shrunk and became a bag of seeds. Crystal gestured Audrey to come over, and when the latter did, she recognized the seeds as those of flowers. The former went on to dunk everything out of the bag and create a rectangular layout of seeds on the grass.

"Every Fae resorts to rhyming incantations, preferably couplets, for their spells. Most beginners start off with verbally enunciating the spells. It takes years of practice to fully recite the spell mentally to catch anyone off guard. And focus. Observe." Crystal knelt down and held out her index finger. A dozen seeds closest to her glowed in purple auras and sank into the earth. As the regal finger moved in a small circle, stems grew out in circular fashions, intertwining with one another. When Crystal finally clenched her fists, beautiful aster and iris flowers bloomed, releasing some small, glittery pollen in the air.

"Wow." Audrey was amazed.

"We are going to start small." Crystal took one of the spare seeds aside and placed it just by Audrey's feet. The latter took a step back to avoid stepping on it by accident. "You're going to make up your own verbal incantation to grow a flower from that seed."

"What kind of flower?"

"I don't care." Crystal shrugged.

Audrey rolled her eyes. She supposed that she could go for a small, simple pink rose. She took a deep breath. When her eyes got that old pink glow, Crystal kept her stance.

"_May a rose grow right now in my meadow._" Audrey's hands were above the seed, which took its time in sinking into the ground and immediately stopped growing when only a patch of green the size of a thumb stuck out. Audrey looked back at Crystal, who looked unamused.

"Third thing, Pink Fingers, is to FOCUS!" Crystal gritted her teeth. "Don't just _tell_ it to grow! ENVISION what it would grow into! Imagine the RESULTS!"

"_May a rose grow right now in my meadow!_" The glow in Audrey's eyes increased. The pathetic green patch rapidly grew, its stem curling in a rather Art Nouveau fashion, its leaves coming out perfectly shaped without a single rough edge, and the green skin brightening under the sunlight. Not one, but at least ten buds grew and blossomed into spinel-colored roses. The roses kept growing to the point of creating a floral pillar that reached the height of the trees.

Then Audrey saw it. The nasty illusion where the rose-pillar morphed into a disgusting one of thorns. At the top of the thorn column was the clash between the Queen of Mean and a dragon made of moving thorns. Audrey was unable to move as she watched the thorn dragon breathe a sharp fire of needles at the Queen of Mean, causing the figure to fall down the pillar. Audrey could feel the raining blood raining on her face…

"PRINCESS!"

Audrey shook her head. Gothy pulled her out of the way just in the nick of time before a mass of withered roses could crash on them. Since Gothy was fast enough, only a tree root was affected by the impact and the pillar broke apart.

Audrey was horrified. The beautiful roses she had tried to grow using magic had turned just like in her nasty vision: withered, dried up, and overrun by thorns. She looked back at Crystal. The latter's face had a pretty understandable expression of shock.

"Princess! What happened?" Gothy helped Audrey sit down.

"Maybe give her a moment," Crystal said quietly.

…

Gothy and Crystal gave Audrey her space for the next two hours. Too alarmed by what had occurred in only the first lessons of magic class, Audrey wouldn't even eat the salad that Gothy had cooked. She wouldn't even touch the Bloody Bambi, who was pretty much like her therapy pet, and though he gave her space, it was only limited to a foot. Now she primarily spinel balls at the river and watched them skipping away before dissolving like soap.

"Tea." Crystal came carrying a tray with crystal teacups while Gothy held the kettle. They sat by Audrey's side; she didn't react much when Gothy gave her a full cup of peppermint tea.

"So… Gothy and I talked a bit…"

Audrey lifted her eyes. This was the first time Crystal addressed Gothy by her name rather than the nickname of 'Gorgeous', which must mean that things were serious.

"We think that your past trauma is what's keeping you from performing magic properly," Gothy said quietly.

"_You think_?" Audrey threw them some dry glares while drinking her tea.

"We say this because we care about you." Crystal raised her hand. "At first, you acted like it was due to getting somebody else's magic that affected your lack of performance. In reality, it's your emotions clouding your capacities. I should have brought it up during the lesson, but besides focus and visions, emotions form a major influence on magic…"

"I did try to do my best, but what I did in the past…" Audrey found Gothy blocking her mouth with her hand.

"Is in the past." Gothy silenced her.

"You chose to leave for all of this." Crystal waved her hand around the area. "You are no longer bound by the rules of magic-oppressors. You will now be able to be your own Audrey. Do things the way you'd have never done before, cast spells you never imagined… and finally have the life you never could have."

Audrey looked at them. Deep down, she knew they were right. Her acts as the Queen of Mean were really destabilizing her… and she had already told her demon that he wouldn't give him the satisfaction of making her feel worthless until she'd revert. No. She left Auradon. She wasn't bound to anyone anymore.

"OK!" She got up on her feet. "Let's redo this!"

"Good!" Crystal put the tea set away in a crystal ball. "We got a week of rebooting before we reach Macabretown!"  
"And with the most practical approach." Gothy joined in.

Gothy: _Magic, it's a force of nature._

Audrey: _A force of nature._

_Are you sure?_

Crystal: _Obviously._

Gothy: _As natural as fish swimming down the stream._

Audrey: _You make it sound like a dream._

"Stop questioning and start accepting." Crystal patted Audrey on the cheeks.

Gothy: _Like nature, magic acts like a storm or a breeze!_

Crystal: _So complex, yet with such ease!_

"Really?" Audrey asked.

Gothy: _Oh, the things you will find_

Crystal: _When you finally open up your mind._

Gothy: _Just forget how it was_

Crystal: _The past is so rotten_

Both: _It's better when the past is forgotten._

"OK, let's do this!" Minutes later, they were recasting the flower spells again. While Gothy helped Audrey loosen up her position a bit, Crystal showed off some breezes of glitter that moved around in small circles at ankle levels.

Crystal: _Try to flow, don't make your magic stiffen._

Gothy: _More movement, this isn't the Olympics for statues!_

Audrey: _I feel a bit relaxed. Why do I see many pink hues?_

Crystal: _Magic progressing like a colorful ribbon._

Gothy: _It sounds cliché, but now you let it go!_

Audrey: _So that it all grows?_

A massive shower of pink magic spread over the grove. There wasn't a single tree surrounding the girls that wasn't covered in vines and spinel-colored roses. Even the Bloody Bambi had to shake off some roses that appeared on its antlers. Audrey looked amazed at her handiwork.

Audrey: _Hey, I did it!_

Crystal and Gothy: _It was about time you stepped out your pit!_

Crystal: _Magic is nothing new, it's a part of you._

Gothy: _Suddenly the world is a new view_

Both: _We're a helpful crew!_

_You're about to be someone new!_

_Magic is nothing new, it's a part of you!_

A couple days passed. It was raining a lot on the evening when they continued sailing the yacht up northeast. With the yacht agitating but keeping itself in position, they had Audrey work on playing around with the raindrops, transforming it into snowflakes, hail, or even some pearls.

Crystal: _Stay calm and collected_

Gothy: _Feel as if your superior to the stormy rain._

Audrey: _Feeling superior was part of the train…_

Crystal: _Don't go that far, you just got up the drain!_

Gothy: _Altering elements is sophistication_

Crystal: _Feeling the elements is a passion!_

Audrey: _I feel a bit frustrated. Can we take five?_

Crystal and Gothy: _You're learning this to stay alive!_

It was around Saturday when they reached the end of the river. While Crystal got rid of the crystal yacht, Audrey actually succeeded in using one of her spinel balls to create an open-roof convertible. Crystal and Gothy gave her a big thumbs up and they went on to drive through the first valleys filled with diverse greenery, wildflowers, wild horses running by, and the occasional locals drinking beer who probably thought that the spinel car was part of the intoxication.

Crystal: _Magic is nothing new_

Gothy: _Magic is nothing new_

Crystal: _It's a part of you_

Gothy: _It's a part of you._

Crystal: _Suddenly the world _

Both: _Is a new view!_

_We're a helpful crew!_

_You're about to be someone new!_

_Magic is nothing new, it's a part of you!_

They took turns driving the vehicle, and it was probably around Sunday afternoon that Gothy accidentally crashed the car onto a lamppost. Wondering why they let someone without a driver's license on the wheel, Audrey and Crystal glared at Gothy, who gave a nervous chuckle. The Bloody Bambi tilted its head at a nearby sleigh shop. Considering the next valleys had terrains softer than snow even though it wasn't even fall yet, Crystal went on to buy a sleigh for the Bloody Bambi to pull. As the stag ran rapidly despite dragging the weight of three girls and their luggage, it proved to be faster than the spinel convertible.

Crystal: _This was nice, but now it's important that you know the important figures of Fae history!_

Audrey: _I already know of fairy godmothers and Maleficent's insanity._

Crystal: _You're funny, but I'm talking about reality._

_Like how Titania and Oberon are the Fae deities._

_Marius Bogfae is their descendant, born from Fae and goblin royalties!_

Audrey: _Wow._

Crystal: _The Sugar Plum Fairy is his godmother._

_Her love potions were quite the bother._

Gothy: _Ow!_

Crystal: _The Tooth Fairy._

Audrey: _Seriously?_

Crystal: _Changelings who feed on love or steal babies._

_Seriously, they told this stuff in a kids' show with ponies!_

Gothy: _Pixies from Neverland, for certain._

Crystal: _I never understood why they make everything a mountain._

Audrey: _What about trolls, dwarves, and elves?_

Crystal: _I never really liked elves._

_And dwarves primarily worry about themselves._

_Trolls are fun, but they don't like being held on shelves._

Audrey: _Why would you want trolls on shelves?_

The valleys were getting closer to the marshes by the time it was Monday. The Bloody Bambi was still not getting tired from all the pulling, but the girls still took a break from the traveling. The practices of spell casting were getting better for Audrey.

Audrey: _It's a part of me, magic is nothing new._

Crystal: _Your world now has a brand new view._

Audrey: _You've been a helpful crew!_

_I'm finally becoming someone new!_

Crystal and Gothy: _Hallelujah! No homework due!_

Crystal and Gothy: _Magic is nothing new_

Audrey: _Magic is nothing new_

Crystal and Gothy: _It's a part of you_

Audrey: _It's a part of you._

All three: _Suddenly the world is a new view!_

_We're a helpful crew!_

_Magic is nothing new_

_It's a part of you!_

It was Wednesday.

_Meanwhile, back in Auradon_

It had been two weeks now since Audrey and Gothy left Auradon. And the demon was really taking advantage of his client's absence: reports have been going around about servants being haunted into sleepless nights for being indifferent to their princess, the Auradon Prep cheerleading team screaming as their uniforms shredded themselves, Chad Charming running around to avoid the army of dirty water buckets chasing him, and roses mutating to kick florists out of their shops. Now the kingdom was in a panic.

"And you understand why Mal highly recommended you." Beast revealed the footage on a screen to the new VK involved with the mess. After a talk with Hades, Mal had convinced everyone to bring forth the only VK who knew better about demons ruled the fallen angel. The son of the guy who practically enforced his internal sins when he was alive and was punished massively when he was in Hell.

"_Vous vous foutez de moi."_ Charles Frollo cussed in French the equivalent of 'You're fucking kidding.' He then spoke in English. "You think I didn't notice the situation or did you think that these were a new fashion trend I started?" He gestured to the silver cross charms hanging on the blue chains attached to his pants' belt. The same jewelry was also hanging from his neck and decorating his grey fedora. "Oh, we're all going to die… We're all going to die!"

"We're NOT going to die, pal." Ben patted Charles on the shoulder when the latter curled into a ball. "Look, you know more about demons than we do…"

"Know more about demons, _l'imbécile!_" Charles muttered. "I only know the theoretical aspects! Not the slaying aspect! You think I learned to avoid demons at all costs from the one hypocritical fanatic in the history of the Isle's villains! _Surtout pas!_" (French for 'absolutely not'.)

"We're not asking you to confront it but if you know how we can stop it…"

"We can't stop it…" Charles shook his head.

"Charles, come on!" Mal insisted.

"Uh, I was saying this literally. Not out of my understandable paranoia." When more screaming came from outside, Charles curiously looked outside the window. The royal gardener was getting harassed by stag-shaped rose bushes shooting thorns at her. He whistled. "Wow. The demon must be on the verge of impatience."

"Impatience?" Audrey's family were still present and Hubert had asked that. "Why would the blasted demon be impatient?"

Out of nowhere, Charles pulled out a blue book as big as his torso. Seeing as he had some trouble carrying it, Beast helped him lift it on a coffee table. Charles nodded in gratitude and flipped through the pages, and based on those who managed to have a peak at the pages, the book might as well carry the entire history of demonology, complete with diverse languages and fancy illustrations. Finally, Charles landed on the page he was looking for. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you say that Audrey might have accidentally summoned a demon somewhere in August."

"A month before Carlos' funeral," Mal nodded. A look of mourning appeared on Charles' face; as the sons of rather abusive parents, he and Carlos had been very good friends.

He sighed. "No wonder the demon's impatient."

"After only a month?" Belle asked quietly.

"For humans, it's not that much, but time in Hell is a lot different. Any villain who got resurrected to be shipped off to the Isle would tell you that a day on the mortal surface is a month in Hell. 12 days here, a year there. A month here, two years and a half there. A year here… 30 years in Hell… at worst."

Everyone gasped in horror. The idea of any soul spending the equivalent of 30 years in purgatory while humans went to live their random lives in a single year… that brought a whole new level of 'fate worse than death'.

"Father also said that some demons barely managed to survive since the dawn of time. Imagine if you were someone who died in like 1900. By now, you'd probably have lived 3570 years in Hell…"

"I think we've heard enough." Aurora looked grossed out.

Charles scoffed. "You think it was that bad? The only thing that Father was right about was humanity's own corruption. Nearly every hour of every day, some sinner gets killed and sent to Hell. Think of it. On a daily basis, it's raining sinners for Hell. Father said that back when he was in Hell, they used to organize genocides on a yearly basis where angelic exterminators would come in to 'shorten the population'." Charles air-quoted. "You'll laugh. Way before this guy was born, the Fallen Angel's offspring had a similar idea!" Charles pointed at Ben. "Nobody took her seriously about the idea of redeeming demons, and when Beast gave her a call, he tricked her into getting a good amount of sinners half-way rehabilitated!"

Beast looked like he had just been punched in the face. The others, especially Belle and Audrey's family, looked shocked.

"She thought she was giving sinners a chance to start fresh on Earth so that way they can finally go to Heaven. He just shoved the villains onto the Isle. As for the villains, heroes, and antiheroes who disagreed? They ran to the other side of the Auradon Wall. Thanks to your dad, Ben, Lucifer's offspring will be seeing more sinners as time goes on. Father's quite certain that anyone who exiled themselves from Auradon are living in complete anarchy and indulging in their sins!" Charles frown eventually dropped to a sarcastic smile. "Audrey must be having fun!"

"We'll deal with that later," Phillip said while glaring at Beast. "So back at the matter at hand. Hades said that the demon wants Audrey's best interests in his own weird way. Why would he be in such a rush?"

"My best guess is because they haven't performed an actual contract." Charles showed him the page bearing an illustration of a horned demonic silhouette and an outlined human signing a piece of paper on an altar with a pentagram hanging above them. "The whole point behind summoning is that you're prepared to create a contract between the summoned demon. You summon it depending on the particular demon's summoning phone call- say his name three times, mention a demon during a musical number, square-dance in the middle of a public execution… Basically do any stupid action out of purpose or sheer idiocy. But once summoned, the demon expects to create a contract with the mortal clients. The demon gives something the mortal wants and the mortal gives what the demon wants. They sign the paper, they follow the terms, and death is the only thing that can break it. Well, except if it's one of those contracts where the mortal trades his soul… He ends up being the demon's slave in Hell."

"And with what's happening right now?" Hubert noticed that the gardener was shooting weed-killer at the mutant roses.

"Well, since Audrey summoned the demon by accident in a time when she wanted revenge and given the rampage… I guess he's assembling the list of things he can provide her… and if he's continuing like this with things worsening, it _also_ means that Audrey is resisting the urge of dealing with him. I guess she's a bit aware that she has a guardian devil, but he's not telling her of the rampage."

Audrey's family sighed in relief.

"It ain't going to last." Charles bluntly shattered their brief moment of satisfaction.

"But you just said Audrey was resisting!" Queen Leah said.

"And I said previously that a contract mandatorily follows the summoning!" Charles snapped in defense. "The demon's going on a rampage to assemble whatever he can for his side of the bargain to convince Audrey to provide her side! This whole mess won't stop until he provides his terms, Audrey provides hers, they sign a contract, and I'll quote Mal's old man, we dance, we kiss, we schmooze AND EVERYONE LIVES A HAPPY LIFE AND THE CONTRACT GETS NUKED WHEN AUDREY DIES!" Charles took a multitude of deep breaths from his blowout. "Besides, if she dies without creating a contract, the demon will be pissed at the idea of wasted rampage."

Queen Leah groaned.

"Let's not worry too much about it," Hubert tried to sound optimistic. "Audrey is the kind to learn from her mistakes. We know she's probably self-discovering herself at the moment and she knows better than to immediately jump into a demonic deal…"

Just then, a messenger broke the door open. His hand carried a scroll with a strange snake-stamp on it. "Miss Mal! An owl just delivered this!"

"Who is it from?" Mal asked.

"I don't know. There's no name referring to the sender… but it's meant for Maleficent."

"Read it, please."

The messenger unrolled the scroll and cleared his throat. "'_Maleficent. Your time with your staff has now expired. Reply to this owl message so that we may set up a conference to discuss your fee in blood._'"

Mal's eyes widened. Fee in blood.

"Well, I'm out!" Charles grabbed his book and stormed out the room.


	10. The Spa of Scents

Chapter 10: The Spa of Scents

The marshes were now the weirdest environment Audrey had seen yet. The water wasn't too deep, so they could ditch the sleigh and walk through it, but the water still reached the hip level. The water was venom green with black bubbles popping here and there, and moving your feet through it made you feel like walking through the thickest mud bath ever. The grass patches were high enough to make any traveler feel like exploring a natural maze. The maple, willow, and elm trees had bark so dark, they could easily mix and create a wooden darkness that shrouded the sky already covered by fog. Occasionally, a frog would hop by only to be startled and eaten by the sneak attack of a garden snake.

"This place is filthy!" Gothy groaned. "Why didn't they build roads or fences to separate Macabretown from the marshes?"

Crystal marched as if this were a mere afternoon stroll for her. "Please! Contrary to the smell of the Bog of Eternal Stench back home, this is nothing!"

Audrey tripped on a root and fell face first on the dirty water. The Bloody Bambi allowed her to hold on to its antlers to help her pull up. Audrey sniffed herself and cringed at the odors of fish, muddy grass, and oil. "Ew…"

"Relax, Pink Fingers." Crystal spoke up while some crows flew by. "Once we meet up with my friend, she'll take you to the place where you'll be able to get rid of the putrid spell."

"I thought we were going there to get rid of my Auradonian scent."

"That's the putrid scent I'm talking about." Crystal rolled her eyes. "Look at it this way. The marshes have a strong stench and hide up your stench. The locals won't mob on us."

"But won't they be repulsed by the marsh stench?" Gothy pointed out.

"Would you prefer that they were repulsed by the Bog back at my place?"

"Can we please try not to talk about filth?" Audrey brushed off some moss she had on her face. "The more we do, the more I'm desperate to clean up… AAAAAAHHH!"

Audrey had been walking ahead of them and had hit her foot on something underwater. Something wrapped around her ankle and dragged her up in the air. The something revealed itself to be a massive purple tail and its owner revealed itself from where it was relaxing behind a big willow, and judging by the presence of snake and heron carcasses and fresh blood dripping out of its three mouths, the creature was probably angry that Audrey had accidentally kicked its tail while finishing its lunch.

"Oh, so _that's_ where the Hydra went!" Gothy screamed. "I always wondered why the Isle of the Lost was lacking in man-eating monsters!"

"NOT HELPING!" Audrey was unable to force the Hydra's tail off her leg.

"Chill, Pink Fingers! Ricky just had lunch! He's just upset that you kicked his tail!" Crystal shouted back.

"Ricky?" Gothy frowned.

"Yep. His full name is actually Ricardo, but the locals in Macabretown call him Ricky."

"I DON'T WANT TO BE RICKY THE HYDRA'S DESSERT!" Audrey was panicking.

"Ricky!"

Ricky slurped the drooling blood back in and turned to who had called him. A girl, probably thirteen or fourteen, had appeared out of nowhere on the grass patches. Despite the nastiness of the marshes, she still looked clean. Her tea dress reached her knees and bared a white-and-purple striped pattern and chest pockets, her burgundy knee-high boots were heeled and laced, and her green waist corset had a giant beetle accompanied by a black tutu lace layer with a pattern of green beetles. Her black hair had various dyed greens and was tied in a wild messy ponytail that curved and moved rapidly despite the lack of wind, her burgundy fingerless gloves complimented her wild green nail polish, her burgundy tie was ignored by her grey beetle choker, and her desaturated grey lipstick and eye shadow made her look like she hadn't slept a single night of her life and was proud of it.

The moment Ricky saw the girl, he got up on his leg and started wagging his tail like crazy. Audrey screamed as he shook her violently.

"Bad Ricky!" The girl scolded him. "What have we told you? If you're not going to eat tourists, don't play with them! Put her down now!"

Ricky pouted and loosened his grip on Audrey's leg. The Bloody Bambi managed to position itself so that Audrey would land on his back.

"Good Ricky! Here! I brought you leftovers from Lecter's restaurant!" The small girl lifted a tied sack twice her weight and dripping blood and easily swung it at Ricky's middle mouth. While Ricky was busy chewing his snack with delight, the girl properly noticed the group and squealed in delight.

"Crystal!" She ran to give Crystal a big, squeezing hug that didn't bother Crystal the slightest.

"Beatrice!" Crystal exclaimed in happiness. "Rascal like yourself, I knew you'd be sneaking around the marshes on a Wednesday!"

"What can I say? I'm a bit of a _fowl _person!" Unexpectedly, Beatrice's face turned into a chicken's, releasing some squawks before turning her face back to normal. Crystal laughed at the girl's pun-based humor whereas Audrey and Gothy exchanged some looks.

"A hybrid that phases numerous faces," Gothy said.

"And whose friends with _Ricky the Hydra_." Audrey petted the Bloody Bambi. "At least _you're_ civilized."

"So who wished you to Macabretown?" Beatrice asked. "I'm sorry, but it wasn't me. My parents grounded me."

"Again?" Crystal looked shocked. "Bea, what did you do this time?"

"Nothing big! It's just… I can't leave past the marshes or out of Macabretown."

"Ugh, Bea…" Crystal facepalmed herself.

"Can we change the topic?" Beatrice asked. "I don't get to see you so often."

"You're right. Bea, I came with some friends." Crystal gestured to the others. "Bloody Bambi, Gothy Gothel, and Audrey."

The fact that Crystal didn't address Audrey by a second name sent flags at Beatrice, who somehow teleported herself to be a few inches close to Audrey. Her nostrils quickly picked up a sniff on the latter's hair and provoked her to back away in disgust. "EW! What is that disgusting smell?"

"Marsh stench." Audrey stated obviously.

"No, that's nature's fragrance! And it smells a lot better than that stench blocking your own body odor! Honestly, I can't tell what your sweat is thanks to that filthiness! It's like over-expired caviar drowned in poorly aged wine served to a sick horse that pooped on a cheap golden carriage!"

"Uh. It's actually the most original insult I heard in my life." Gothy was impressed.

"She gets that from her mother." Crystal shrugged in amusement before walking up to Beatrice. "Audrey and Gothy are new… and Audrey is from an royal Auradonian family."

Ricky hissed angrily at the A-word. "Easy, Ricky!" Beatrice hissed firmly, showing signs of her tongue being as striped as her sleeves. She turned to Audrey. "You actually ditched your cushioned life?" Beatrice's face briefly shaped into a pillow.

"Yes."

"And Marius Bogfae strongly advised me to ask you to help Audrey get that Auradonian royalty stench off her," Crystal added.

"Oh! Then why didn't you say so?" Beatrice got excited. "I can easily take us to the backdoor!"

"And avoid the attention of the owner?"

"Come on! I'm Beatrice Deetz! I swindle anyone I want!"

…

Beatrice really knew her way around the marshes. By the time it was 2pm, she had managed to guide them through the filthy waters and dark trees and finally introduced them to the outskirts of Macabretown. For Gothy and Audrey, it was a shocking discovery that the fog overshadowing the sky back at the marshes was actually the result of the diverse smokes and vapors being spit out of chimneys. Macabretown was full of strangely designed mansions, houses that looked like they could be haunted, obelisks with eye carvings that blinked, roadhouses that varied from abandoned creepiness to gaming excitement, various restaurants and stores, and a massive factory far back that spit smoke that even across the distance, the group could sniff the beautiful fragrance of chocolate. As they walked through the fields, Audrey and Gothy could still see the billboards flashing in lights or somehow animated so that the illustrated pictures could move.

_**Chez Lecter, the finest in cannibal cuisine!**_

_**Wednesday's Weapon Emporium. Now with a 66% sale on all guillotines and nail files for your creepy family!**_

_**Wonka Family Chocolate Factory! Stick around to support Willy's son in his upcoming big day!**_

_**Beatrice Deetz Grounded BIG TIME! If she juices you again, say the mayor's name three times or give his wife a phone call! SERIOUSLY, B.D, LISTEN TO YOUR MOM FOR ONCE!**_

The last billboard actually made Audrey laugh. "Your parents really go as far as to get the whole town involved in your punishments?" Her own family would have never gotten a billboard.

"That's just their way of showing they worry for me."

Gothy sniffed the air. "We must be really far from the marshes. I must be smelling at least ten different perfumes!"

"We're here."

They were still in the most widespread territories, were the fields were owned by massive individual shops. Beatrice led them towards the backdoor of a brown-colored 18th-century mansion accompanied by a matching warehouse. The mansion's front gardens bared pools and massaging gazebos where individuals could be seen getting pampered. The back held probably the biggest collection of flora the world had ever seen: a lavender field, an orange orchard, individual flower farms, an apiculture ranch, and a barn complete with livestock. The warehouse's chimneys not only ejected a rainbow a scents but the roof also had fans blowing away the perfumes towards the direction of the marshes. Hanging above the warehouse was a painted billboard of a perfume bottle, its unleashed scent possessing the silhouette of a woman.

_**The Spa of Scents. Homemade perfumes and colognes. Finest, olfactive spa services in all of Macabretown. Volunteer perfume extractions available without killing virgins.**_

Beatrice cautiously led them behind some rose bushes so that the employees working outside wouldn't notice them. Despite the presence of trashcans near the back door, the hundreds of perfumes covered the garbage stench. Beatrice just stood by the mahogany door.

"Aren't you going to knock?" Audrey asked.

"Wait for it." Beatrice checked her nails. Right on cue, the door bursted open. Two individuals, probably in their early twenties and obviously fraternal twins, stepped out of the shadows. Both guy and girl had bright green eyes, messy reddish brown hair, and a preference for wearing flats, sweatpants, and rose-themed sweatshirts. But while his sweatshirt was black and lacked sleeves, hers reached her elbows and were fashionably black-and-white striped behind the roses. Her sweatpants were black, reached her ankles, and had pink strings while his were red with brown cuffs that reached his knees. His flats were black, hers were brown. She wore beaded bracelets, he wore spiked ones. His messy hair barely touched his shoulders, hers reached her chest. She looked like she was in her right mind, he looked creepy.

"Aromus, Cologna. _However _did you know I was going to knock?" Beatrice gave a toothy smirk.

"Save the flattery, Deetz!" Cologna hissed. "We could smell that perfume of beetles and blood oranges of yours from the cash register while you were in the marshes!"

"Here to swindle some more?" Aromus tilted his head.

"No swindling!" Cologna pushed her twin brother back inside. "For your sake and mine, go home, Deetz!"

"Why? I brought you a client in dire needs of your perfume-extraction talents." Beatrice pouted.

"Ooh! To kill?" Aromus gleefully asked.

"No. To remove some old country stench so she may walk around like a civilized person," Beatrice dropped the gleeful smile and pointed at Audrey. "I was hoping you'd remove the stench blocking her natural odor."

Cologna took her approach on Audrey to the point of getting much closer than Beatrice had for sniffing her out. Audrey could actually feel the inhaling nostrils on her skin, not out of weird creepiness but as someone taking the time to analyze her by sniffing. The same way a dog spends time sniffing the grounds before running to catch up to its prey.

"I can smell every single brick, every curtain silk, and every cat you touched in your palace," Cologna spoke in a cold tone. "I can catch the scent of dirt, mud, and sand you walked on in that filthy land you used to call home. I can smell the minerals of the fancy jewelry you used to wear… _granddaughter of King Stephan_." Cologna stepped back and displayed further animosity.

"I already know what my grandfather did," Audrey spoke unfazed.

"Do you?" Cologna frowned. "A French monarch like the others. He provoked powerful fairies and supernaturally powerful humans like our father _repulsed _him. Aromus and I were only toddlers when our father refused to be sent to the Isle. _Your_ grandfather's soldiers _murdered _our mother."

"Not a hero or a villain. A mere German commoner." Aromus shook his head.

Audrey still looked unfazed. "Would killing me now resolve your anger?" Crystal and Gothy looked nervous at the idea of their friend casually confronting a vengeful young adult the same way she had casually confronted a cynical prince last week.

"No." Cologna shook her head. "Murder is such a waste. I have anything I want in Macabretown. There's nothing I could gain from murdering an Auradonian princess and cause a stir among the townsfolk, and vengeance would be dishonoring my mother's grave."

"Besides…" Aromus chuckled. "Your presence here is self-punishment for your family."

Cologna turned to Beatrice. "Exceptionally, Deetz. _Exceptionally,_ we'll give you a free service."

_Minutes later_

The twin children of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille led their new customers to their private basement underneath the family domain. After closing the doors and windows with scent-concealing blinds, they had Audrey strip and shower so she'd be properly clean. She had to wait in a bathrobe while Cologna set up the equipment on a table and Aromus properly set up an operating bed.

"What exactly is your father's method of… extracting murders?" Gothy asked as she observed Cologna organizing the bottles of alcohol, animal fat, creams, following rolled up papers, and a syringe.

"The prototype was murdering, shaving, and mummifying virgins to steal their natural fragrances and create the ultimate perfume. Epic waste of time." Cologna spread out the papers and started brushing the animal fat on them. "Fortunately, for more practical and legal results, mummifying murdered virgins was replaced by full-body _waxing._"

"I noticed that billboard on your warehouse. Is the waxing part of the volunteer perfume extraction I read about?"

"Papa constantly looks for new perfumes to discover, study, and improve. The best ones he finds get manufactured for our shop and spa. The failed ones that Papa really wants to ignore are forever concealed in our olfactive archive below the basement. That's where will bury that odious Auradonian royalty stench. Any other questions?"

"Yes. How dangerous is it?"

"Relax, Gothy. It'll be OK. I've survived waxing in the past," Audrey spoke confidently.

"Bet the goody-two shoes didn't specialize in identity extraction." Aromus chuckled.

"Identity extract… Say WHAT?" Gothy almost panicked. She shot a glare at Crystal, but the latter was too busy checking out the prototype promotional posters of the spa hanging on the walls. When Gothy gave the glare to Beatrice, the latter merely shrugged and tossed some cocoa beetles at the Bloody Bambi, surprising Gothy by grabbing and eating the chocolate-covered invertebrates. Gothy was quite sure she saw the pests move.

"Papa has the motto of perfumes being the olfactive identity card of individual souls. When you die, that olfactive identity card disintegrates, leaving your corpse useless and nameless," Cologna explained. "When we apply this waxing method onto Audrey, it will not only rip out her status as Auradonian Princess, it will completely SEVER anything she had with her old Auradonian family and friends. SHEER INDIFFERENCE will all that be left."

"I still remember, but I just don't care about them?" Audrey asked.

"It will be as if you have forever cut ties with them."

"Then again, at this point, it's not that bad," Beatrice casually cut in. "You get to be a random commoner, you start a brand new life, people actually get to like you, and with anarchy dominating the common sense, you get to do whatever you want!"

"It's not going to strip me of my magic, is it?" Audrey raised another point.

"That's a fair point." Crystal looked away from a Picasso-like advertisement poster. "I spent a week coaching her… she's been exercising her magic since she left Auradon."

"Uh… how big is it again?" Cologna double-checked Audrey's glittery blonde hair that was currently being held in a hair cap like the ones you'd wear at the pool.

"I nearly destroyed Auradon, I enchanted a van, I gave the Goblin King a concussion, and whatever Crystal could throw at me," Audrey listed.

"Ooh… Papa says that Auradonian is full of magic oppressors." Aromus snickered. "Big shock wave if we don't do it slowly."

Cologna groaned and proceeded to put on a mask to cover her mouth and ears. "Just layout the big piece on the chair. And Deetz?"

"Yes."

"Just this time, if my twin doesn't keep his hands to himself, feel free to juice him."

"Got a lot of juices on me." Beatrice pulled out a bottle of grape juice from her sleeve and drank from it. After Aromus laid down the properly fitting waxing paper over the operating bed, Audrey took off the bathrobe, exposing her bare skin to the basement's coldness. She placed herself so that her back met the gooey animal fat of the big waxing paper. Cologna proceeded to inject the syringe on Audrey's right arm, numbing the latter's muscles. She couldn't even feel the gooeyness on her skin. Cologna went on to place paper after paper over the patient's skin, folding the edges and cautiously pinning to keep the papers together. For the moment, Cologna had managed to wrap up Audrey's lower body and upper body. As if to apply a facial mask, she cautiously placed smaller papers over her cheeks, her forehead, and most of her nose and ears. She still left some open areas for Audrey to see, hear, and talk.

"You still doing good, Pink Fingers?" Crystal asked.

"Weird. I feel rather relaxed, but at the same time I got a weird feeling. It's like something is pulling."

"The Auradonian stench is starting to come off!" Aromus clapped his hands eagerly. Cologna merely wacked his head to shut him up.

"So… how long does it take?" Crystal asked.

"For volunteer extractions? An hour." Cologna took off her mask.

"Great! I got a bunch of board games on me!" Beatrice pulled out at least twenty different boxes of board games. The others shrugged and decided to pass the time with Beatrice's idea while waiting for Audrey's treatment to be over. "OK, so we got _How I Met Your Devil: The Roleplay, Strip Poker Shenanigans: The Movie's Board Game, The Addams Monopoly, Burtonian Chess…_"

"You got any board games that aren't movie themed?" Cologna asked.

"I got a 6660 pieces monster puzzles. Hydras, chimeras, echidnas…"

"Echidnas are not monsters. They're mammals," Gothy frowned.

"No, not the egg-laying knockoff of the porcupine. Echidnas are supposed to be monster-bearing mothers. But I already completed that puzzle a thousand times. Maybe we go the puzzle of Gorgonville…"

"Uh, Princess burning?" Aromus spoke hesitantly.

"Ugh! Do you know how many witch trial-themed puzzles my dad got me? And all because I said 'Daddy, for Christmas, I want a board game related to Joan of Arc', and he said, 'But Sugar Beetle, you know how your mom feels about you being near the media that promotes the oppression, harassment, and unfair executions of strong independent women because humanity is full of assholes!'"

"THE PATIENT'S BURNING!" Aromus screamed. He pointed them at the operating table. Sure enough, the waxing paper was beginning to grow dark patches while small pink sparks sprouted. Audrey was sweating and exhaling a lot.

"I overestimated her magic!" Cologna put her mask back on. "It's forcing the Auradonian stench to extract itself more rapidly than expected!"

"Didn't you say it would create a shock wave?" Gothy screamed.

"It's Audrey who's going to get Hell's shock wave of paralyzed bones if I don't rip off this paper from her! You and Crystal keep her calm and shut up while I rip it off!" For safety procedures, she put on some rubber gloves. "Deetz, get me a basin full of water! Aromus, use the bucket to catch the papers! I don't have time to hand them over!"

Crystal used a crystal ball to create an oxygen mask that she immediately put over Audrey's mouth once Cologna forcibly ripped off the papers. Her face was red and burning, and the rip from the waxing paper almost made Audrey scream until the oxygen mask tuned her down.

"You're going to be OK, Audrey!" Gothy held Audrey's head up.

Cologna ripped the papers off the stomach and chest. Audrey screamed more muffled screams while Aromus caught the papers his sister threw at him.

"Flip her over!" Cologna shouted once she had removed the papers covering the patient's front parts. Crystal and Gothy struggled to keep Audrey from screaming while Cologna severely ripped off the last, but biggest paper.

"Deetz, NOW!"

Beatrice held up a basin four times her times, probably because she decided to increase the actual size, and with Herculean force, dunked the cold water onto Audrey. Pink, glittery steam erupted out of her sweating, partially greasy skin, filling the basement like a wild sauna. Cologna was against opening the window, so Beatrice pulled a vacuum cleaner out of nothingness and sucked in all the steam. Once the vacuum was full, she snapped her fingers and turned the machine into a beetle that she proceeded to grab and devour. A burp with pinches of pink glitter escaped her mouth, but she put an end to it by drinking grape juice.

Everyone but Audrey sighed in relief.

"You want me to take care of liquefying the extracts while you figure out how to fuel up the patient?" Aromus dropped his creepy behavior to properly ask the question to his sister.

"Please do."

Aromus went on to carry the papers to the table and do his own work.

"Deetz… you just managed to avoid turning the entire spa's sprinkler system with your revolting insectivore snacking." Cologna was partially impressed.

"Eh. I've tasted more disgusting beetles." Beatrice shrugged.

"Pink Fingers…" Crystal gently tapped Audrey's cheek.

"I'm seeing pink songbirds everywhere…" Audrey was woozy.

"She's just drained out. A bit of pampering at the spa will fuel her up." Cologna took off her gloves.

"How much?" Crystal pulled a wallet out of her coat. "Does the Spa of Scents take Fae cash?"

"_Exceptionally_, it's free. Bath, mani-pedi, and optional hair care… For anyone who isn't Deetz."

"Beatrice just did you a favor!" Despite acting like a patient who just got out of anesthesia, Audrey managed to speak out her point. "You owe her!"

"Actually, it's less about owing and more about her lousy hygiene." Aromus spoke up while squeezing the wax out of the paper into a bowl. "Deetz shares half of her Papa's cleaning phobias and only bathes once a week. Her mom actually made it a monthly holiday for Macabretown to chase Deetz around with sponges and soap. Whoever gets her cleaned gets a free yearly subscription to Mrs. Deetz's magazine. Make it two years if the chase is on Friday the 13th."

"And I _love_ that holiday!" Cologna sneered, giving a toothy grin at Beatrice.

Beatrice just casually smiled. "I could shapeshift myself into a Shih Tzu stampede at the next one. Don't you have a phobia of those dogs?"

Cologna recoiled in horror. "You wouldn't!"

"There's a reason why there's 'shit' in 'Shih Tzu', Cologna!" Beatrice laughed her head off.

While the two mocked one another, Gothy whispered to Crystal. "You don't think that Audrey's magic steam release has attracted anyone's attention, do you?"

"Unless she has some kind of psychic connection to some supernatural force of nature or the laws of morality, I don't think we need to worry."

"Yeah, you're right." Gothy confidently crossed her arms. "Besides, Audrey's smart. She's definetly not like the retired old-shows from the Isle who _never _learned that supernatural connections are a bad idea."

If Crystal and Gothy weren't so busy humoring one another, they would have noticed that Audrey's wooziness perfectly shielded her guilty expression.

_Meanwhile, somewhere else…_

The demon's red-tipped dark hands brought down the hammer one last time and smashed the last of the debris. It had been a long time now since he vandalized the stained glass windows of Sleeping Beauty's castle. It had been a long time now since he vandalized the True Love window representing that useless queen and her husband. He had almost lost track of the amount of days (or months, in Hell's time) he spent further shattering the debris he had taken with him and reorganizing them so he could create a chandelier. A massive, elegant chandelier that would reflect rainbow lights whenever the light hit it. A massive piece of art made of his vandalism of vengeance. He added the last shard to the chandelier and tapped it in amusement. The cries of Audrey's family currently crying in Auradon echoed in the room.

"_A chandelier of nightmares to increase the dreams of my Queen of Mean._" The demon looked up at his creation. _"What else needs to be done to prepare for her arrival?_"

Just as he was about to leave the room, the chandelier shook. He looked back at it and noticed how the shards moved even though the windows were closed and no breeze could come in. The demon took a deep breath, and sure enough, he could _smell _the recent action his client had performed.

"_The perfume of power, sins, magnificence, and pure anarchy_." Though his body was concealed in the shadows, his grin of sharpened teeth stood out. "_Our game will be ongoing for a while, I see. My Queen of Mean will be trying to weasel her way out of our inevitable contract. Perhaps it's time I have a little word with my own friend in Macabretown."_


	11. Macabretown and the Deetz Family

Chapter 11: Macabretown and the Deetz Family

As a stranger in stranger lands, Audrey had to recognize that her treatments at the Spa of Scents were far better than what she ever had in Auradon.

After properly suiting her up in a spa suit, Cologna had led her and the others to the floor before the main one, where the Spa of Scents had the biggest amount of bathtubs and saunas that could probably fill a ballroom. She could feel the internal shuddering of satisfaction when the bathing assistant poured in warm water, creating steams and bubbling foam scented of lavenders and lilies. The attendant even brought a tray full of macaroons and Turkish delights for Audrey to enjoy while she took care of scrubbing Audrey's stress points.

Cologna did insist on burning whatever clothes Audrey had brought from Auradon, and though Audrey now felt some sort of indifference when the topic of her family was brought up, she still couldn't part with her mother's blue cloak.

"Can't you just disinfect it?" Crystal asked.

"Clothes ain't like human stench, Maze."

"Hang on!" Beatrice snapped her fingers. "Didn't your dad create lace fabric with that enchanted sample of Frog's Breath that Auntie Sally donated to him?"

"Yeah, to repel the bad smells so clothes don't smell why you sweat. Why?"

"What if you sewed the Frog's Breath lace on the cloak so that it covers the Auradonian stench, and then you sew some fancy blue scented silk _over _the lace so nobody picks up on the Frog's Breath lace and Audrey gets to keep her cloak?"

For once, Cologna didn't have to grit her teeth while acknowledging that Beatrice was right: in less than ten minutes, she managed to sew a Frog Breath's lace with bird wing patterns onto the cloak and quickly sewed a lavender-scented lapis blue fabric over it. The bird wing lace patterns were darkened, but still visible. Audrey still had some dark-colored trousers left from Mrs. Hexe, but Cologna insisted that Audrey just but a sleeveless black camisole underneath her vest.

"Isn't the point of a vest to be worn over a long sleeved shirt?" Audrey asked.

"You're wearing a vest, not a corset," was all Cologna said.

The hair salon was the last part of the visit. While Crystal and Maze practically drooled over the different options in nail polish while their hair was being treated, Gothy was drooling over the glass cabinets bearing the different bottles of hair shampoo, conditioner, and hair dyes. At least each cabinet had more than twenty shelves, each carrying dozens of bottles organized in alphabetical and scent order. A nearby employee offered to open up some bottles for Gothy to sniff or peak at the colors. She could have died from delight.

"This is so much better than Lady Tremaine's Curl Up And Dye Salon!" She squealed.

"You know, you could totally start off a paid internship here. Mr. Grenouille is always looking for applicants." Beatrice was trying to raid the bowl of candy canes molded like snakes, but the employee by the table kept pointing his scissors at her, warning her to back off.

"Maybe. I first need to find my sister Cassandra." Gothy inhaled some sort of red hair dye called "Burtonian Strawberries" and immediately put the cork back on before the mixture of blood and strawberries could overwhelm her. "You know somebody whose father has three hearts."

"I do." Beatrice nodded. "But by now, you probably know that just telling you isn't how we give whereabouts to newcomers."

"I know…" Gothy took a look at some shampoo with a label claiming that it had the scents of ten different species of puppies. She immediately put it back on the shelf. "I just wish you people weren't so complicated at giving addresses."

"Well, compared to where you guys came from, it's total anarchy in these lands." Beatrice jumped on one of the fancy leather couches where people sit to wait in salons. "Think about it: it's double-protocols in case someone from The-Land-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named snoops around and manages to go back. Without any specific addresses, invaders can't target specific people. Besides, even if we were invaded, my dad says that any adult-aged person is armed. Besides, at this stage, everybody knows where everybody lives."

"Apparently Crystal doesn't." Gothy rolled her eyes, which ended up stumbling onto a framed picture hanging on the wall facing them. Gothy got up to have a better look at the seven-by-four framed monochrome picture of a bunch of adults standing in front of what looked like Macabretown on opening day. All the adults were drinking champagne and giving their biggest smiles to the camera, but Gothy was more interested in one particular woman in the background, holding her glass closer than in the air, looking reserved while everyone was in a celebratory mood. Though one particular patch of hair was very light and the rest only reached her chin level, Gothy very much recognized that style of naturally curled black hair. Her mother had it, she had it, and so did the illustrated portrait of four-year-old Cassandra.

"Is she your sister?" Beatrice connected the dots when she saw what Gothy was looking at. "You do rather look alike."

"Yeah. Black hair, I know."

"And the lack of smiles and the fact that you're tagging along with a blonde and somebody who annoys you."

Gothy looked at Beatrice. "Do you know Cassandra?"

Beatrice shook her head. "This picture was taken two decades ago. My dad says that while many stayed in Macabretown after helping to build it, a good amount still continued east."

"That's what I thought. Apparently she thought she was too dangerous for her old home…" An idea came to Gothy. "Does your dad know where she could have gone?"

"No. He kind of loses touch with people leaving Macabretown and never to return, being the mayor and all. But he has that same picture hanging in our house. We can go there and wait until he comes back if you want to ask him what he knows about her."

"Was he friends with her?"

"No."

"But why does he have the same picture then?" Gothy pointed at the picture.

"My mom's has a lot of galleries for photography. My dad has massive galleries for demons and the people he met who were either brilliant or idiotic to be involved with demons."

_Minutes later_

After paying some fees, the group left the Spa of Scents so Beatrice could lead them to her house. Macabretown had a system of checkerboard-fashioned cable cars and a station was just across the street from the Spa of Scents. Beatrice must have had some sort of notorious reputation: once the cable car driver saw her, he spared her from paying a fee.

"They're with me." She gestured to her friends.

"Of course." The driver rolled his eyes as if it was déja vu.

The smokes and vapors appeared to be clearing up in most of the town chimney's but only the massive factory at the far end continued to pit puffs of scented sweets, and with all the other chimneys clearing up, a massive landslide of solidified brown gooeyness could be seen. Distant figurines were shoveling their way through with drills, pickaxes, and sort of giant spoons.

"OK, that was your doing!" Crystal was shocked. "Bea, you trashed the chocolate factory?"

"It was an accident!"

"_How?_ How did you singlehandedly create a _chocolate avalanche _from the inside?"

"Too much sugar?" Beatrice chuckled weakly.

"Look on the bright side." Some _actual skeleton_ randomly spoke up from a magazine it was reading. "Wonka's paying people to dig up the chocolate. Now I don't have to worry about giving my kids money to go to the candy store. They just go there for some community service!"

It was when they reached the heart of the town when they saw the further insanity of Macabretown. The sidewalks were clean and flat but composed of some sort of pale white stone and black cement, further making it look like a wild checkerboard as the sidewalks were never straight but constantly curving. The buildings still look like they came out of a horror-themed abstract art show, keeping the main color palette black, white, red, purple, green, and the variety of grays. Some buildings were fancy mansions of different time periods, some were old wood-based houses similar to the cliché of haunted homes, and many were peculiar abstract, modern homes designed to fit the owners. The trees were getting their reddish colors for the fall while having strangely curved branches, it was almost like looking at massive dark hands with fall-colored nail polish, ready to grab anyone when ready. As the cable car kept moving around, it passed strange dark vehicles. Some were modern cars, some were old-fashioned carriages pulled by macabre animals, and others looked like someone's idea of designing buses to look like industrial centipedes. The signs of different business could be seen.

**Chez Lecter.**

**Wednesday's Weapon Emporium.**

**Pugsley's Explosives Emporium.**

**Wonka Family Chocolate Shop.**

**Skellington Holiday Warehouse.**

**Musical Academy of the Corpse Bride.**

**Other World Threads and Dolls.**

**Paranormal Psychics Temp Agency.**

**Dante's Inferno.**

**Hell's Kitchen.**

"This place is like the Isle of the Lost… if you remove the filth, put some Wifi, and turn it into a tourist spot," Gothy said.

"You'd be surprised by the amount of tourists we get on a regular basis." Just as Beatrice said this, they passed a series of parks were folks were setting up tables with spiderweb tablecloths and hanging a massive banner reading '22nd FALL FESTIVAL' over a black gazebo. A billboard hanging above one of the buildings kept changing its letters like the screens in train stations indicating when a train has left the station.

**FESTIVALS AT MACABRETOWN.**

**Past: You just missed our Friday 13****th**** Fiesta. Too bad for you and see you in December. We'll have poisonous apple cider.**

**Upcoming: **

**22****nd**** Fall Festival. Special celebration this year in honor of the Wonka family heir.**

**Witches Sabbatical. Week's worth of activities and entertainment for witches on sabbatical.**

**Halloween. Can we get any obvious?**

**Demonic Visitation Fair. For more questions about demons visiting Macabretown or first-timers going on vacation in Hell, say the mayor's name three times.**

"Demons visit the town?" Audrey faked a buyable gulp.

"It's my _favorite _times of _every _year!" Beatrice clapped her hand in excitement. "The last visit was last Friday. You _just _missed it!"

"So demons can visit whenever they like?"

"Not exactly. Most of the time, they aren't allowed to leave Hell so they send manifestations to communicate with the living. And when any of them want to visit Macabretown for a festivity, they usually need to file some serious paperwork for temporary travel. We're lucky if we get _at least_ 666 different demons visiting us each year."

"666 different demons _at least_?" Gothy nearly freaked.

"Relax, Gorgeous!" Crystal waved a dismissive hand. "There's still demons completely banned from ever leaving Hell."

"And demons only get to visit us on specific dates like Friday the 13th, Halloween, full moons, solar and lunar eclipses, comet sightings, National Superstitions Month…"

"There's a whole month for superstitions?" Audrey was surprised.

"Yeah, for superstitions you need to respect. So for a whole month, don't climb up a ladder, adopt a black cat, light 13 candles on the 13th day, break a mirror on your neighborhood's head, burn a bunch of four-leafed clovers, and… Hey, we're here!"

They got off at a station in a neighborhood where they were close enough to see the chocolate factory rival the height of a mountain. The neighborhood itself had houses spread out so that each of them had its own individual, macabre garden space the size of a Tourney field. And at the end of the cul-de-sac stood a specific house that Beatrice led them to.

It had the physical structure of a small Victorian country house merged with the one of a roadhouse. The dark purple paint on the bricks looked rather bright in the grey afternoon, clearly meaning that the owners constantly repainted over them. The wooden beams, windowsills, and parlors were in black-and-white striped patterns reminding the viewers of a distorted piano. The windows gave away the signs of various black, purple, and green curtains. The garden, though well-tended and trimmed, was infested with twisted plants: ivy drenched in poison, booing bamboo, bellflowers ringing non-stop, honeysuckles made of frozen-solid honey being chased around by bees, primroses acting prim and proper, and roses bleeding each other out by throwing their thorns at each other.

"I see your mom has been doing another episode of garden maintenance," Crystal noted. Beatrice merely shrugged. The moment they stepped through the garden, the plants agitated. The bellflowers rang like those of fireman trucks while the booing bamboos started booing.

"BOO! MS. BEATRICE AT THE GATE! BOO! VISITORS AT THE GATE! CRYSTAL MAZE, TWO FOREIGNERS, AND A RED STAG!"

"BOO! INVITED, NO PROSECUTION!"

"How many times will you guys SHOUT? I LIVE HERE!" Beatrice shouted at the top of her lungs and briefly changed her hands so that her fingernails resembled sharp blades. "LEAVE ME ALONE, OR I'LL GIVE YOU A TRIMMING À LA FREDDY KRUEGER!"

"Beatrice! Put away your nails and get inside this instant!" The moment some woman's voice spoke up, the garden silenced itself. Beatrice put away her creepy hand and led them towards the black-colored black door. Signs were placed next to the beetle doorbell.

**You are now entering the home of the following:**

**Beetlejuice- Mayor of Macabretown, Professional Bio-exorcist, Poltergeist, Con Artist, and Happily Married. Warn him if sandworms or his mother poke in.**

**Lydia Deetz- Vice Mayor of Macabretown, Founder of Spooks Photography and Goth Conventions, Human, Paranormal Medium, and Happily Married. Warn her if stereotypes or her stepmother poke in.**

**Beatrice Deetz- Homeschooled Student, Hybrid, Aspiring Musical Con Artist, and Happily Raised. Warn her if judgmental people poke in. **

That last sign was a massive mental laughter.

Before they could step inside, Beatrice halted the Bloody Bambi. "Knowing my mom, she won't want it inside."

"But the Bloody Bambi mostly sticks around Audrey." Gothy spoke up as if separation sounded impossible. Just when she was done speaking that sentence, a crunching sound caused them to turn their heads and panic. The Bloody Bambi, in disinterest to what Beatrice had said, had started eating the roses. It took particular enjoyment at licking off the blood from the flowers' previous self-injuries besides chewing through the petals to the point of shredding them.

"Ah! My mom's roses!" Beatrice pulled on her ponytail.

"Bad Bloody Bambi!" Audrey forced the stag away from the roses. "Look, just wait outside and try not to murder Mrs. Deetz's garden. Please!"

The Bloody Bambi just rolled its eyes and lied down on the middle of the garden pathway. When the booing bamboos attempted to boo at it, the Bloody Bambi viciously bared its teeth at them. The plants immediately shrank and cowered away from it. It must have been the pitiful crying of the booing bamboos that caused the front door to open and for Mrs. Lydia Deetz to appear just behind her daughter.

The woman was probably only in her mid-forties, but it was very easy for Audrey to see the similar traits between Lydia and Beatrice. Both had black hair pulled up in a messy hairstyle, desaturated makeup, pale skin, and a taste for burgundy-colored shoes and gothic clothes. But while Beatrice had some hair dyed and all of it tied up in a messy ponytail, Lydia's natural black hair was in a bun. While Beatrice's outfit with giant stripes made her look like a walking circus, Lydia's gothic dress still looked partially formal and the very thin pinstripes on her coat had hints of red and purple. Beatrice had a lot of beetle motifs on her while her mother carried small, distinguishable silver spider-themed jewelry from her dangling earrings to her ruby wedding ring.

Audrey didn't have to guess that Beatrice took the most wildness from her father Beetlejuice, who she still had to meet. But right now, the only words she could spill out were: "It wasn't Beatrice's fault! I couldn't predict that the Bloody Bambi would eat your roses!"

Lydia saw the state of her roses and shrugged. "Eh. Roses are overrated. I was thinking of replacing them with mariachi marigolds."

Audrey and Beatrice sighed in relief.

"You've been up to some trouble, haven't you?" Lydia tapped her finger on Beatrice's nose.

"Now what makes you think I did such naughty things, m…" Beatrice was working on doing cute eyes until Lydia tapped once again, only this time her finger was harder.

"Don't you dare end that sentence with 'mommy dearest'." Her mother warned. "Your father got a phone call from Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. His employees are quite certain that you swindled Aromus and Cologna Grobmann Grenouille."

Audrey and Gothy stared at one another while Beatrice continued to play innocent. "What makes you think I was swindling her and not giving her a fair trade?"

"You only go there barely. I should know. You and your father are picky on hygiene. And also, because Crystal paid for a supposedly 'on-the-house service'."

"It was nothing, Mom! Honest!" Beatrice raised both of her hands in defense. "Cologna had a steaming machine problem, I was in the area where I met up with Crystal and our new friends Audrey and Gothy, and I said I'd clear up the steam if my friends could get free spa treatments."

Lydia, still suspicious, looked at Crystal. "Crystal, is she telling me the truth?"

"Well considering what I found out about the factory incident, Beatrice has her ways of expressing the truth. I would prefer not to get into full details as you are generally one to give people the benefit of the doubt, but Beatrice isn't lying full on. _That_, I can promise you." To put it simply, Crystal was assuring Mrs. Deetz that Beatrice wasn't lying but at the same time that Beatrice didn't want to tell the entire truth. To the ones who still had yet to familiarize themselves with the Deetz family, they were surprised to see the matriarch take a deep breath and just let it go.

"Want me to make the 4'o clock snacks, mom?" Beatrice asked genuinely rather than innocently.

"Just this time, you can go nuts on the caramel fudge for the hot cocoa," her mother said quietly.

Beatrice gave a quick peck on her mother's cheek and went inside. Though Mrs. Deetz successfully urged Crystal to follow Beatrice, she still stood in front of Audrey and Gothy.

"My husband will be coming back in a few minutes. You can wait in his office so you may talk about Cassandra," she quietly told Gothy.

Gothy was startled and tempted to ask how the woman knew, but she held herself back when she recalled the house sign addressing Lydia as a paranormal medium. "Of course you knew."

"What? No!" Lydia laughed. "I never use my methods to spy on foreigners! No, Jean-Baptiste also added in his phone call that one of the employees eavesdropped on your conversation with my daughter."

Gothy facepalmed herself.

"Do customers ever get any privacy at the Spa of Scents?" Audrey randomly asked.

"Well gossip isn't something you just chain down the same way you can't catch a sandworm in a sandbox." Lydia pointed out.

_Later_

Gothy had to admit that Beatrice sure had a way of making extra-dark hot cocoa, and the taste was very satisfying. Gothy continued to finish drinking it from her side of the desk while Beetlejuice continued to re-examine the group picture that included Cassandra in the background.

"What a shock!" He finally stopped the examination. "You're like her younger clone! Except your hair's longer and you probably don't have as many friends as she does."

Such a statement is commonly hurtful, but since by now Gothy only had two or three friends, she merely shrugged it off. "What happened to Cassandra?"

Beetlejuice frowned. "You didn't ask her best friend before you left…" He shuddered and hissed as he struggled to let out the word. "The land I don't want to think about."

"The most that I got was that she left because she thought she was too dangerous. And your daughter told me that Cassandra might have been involved with a demon."

"More like she was manipulated. Being involved is when you have a mutual, equal partnership, like what Lydia and I have." He handed the picture so that Gothy could have her turn holding it. "Zhan Tiri was a demoness who tried to steal the sun and moon powers and use them to trash Cassandra's old home. What do you know about the sun magic?"

"My mother exploited them for her own youth, kidnapped a princess, and after a failed scheme where she was reduced to dust, she's alive and probably searching for more essential oils on the Isle at this moment. And that she abandoned Cassandra when she was only four. What of it?"  
"Cassandra and Rapunzel are best friends, but their friendship was strained when Zhan Tiri manipulated your sister into stealing the moon magic. Cassandra had many insecurities about being overshadowed by her best friend, and it got worse when she found out her biological mother abandoned her for Rapunzel. They worked together to finally defeat Zhan Tiri; the demoness was banished to some dimension before the Fallen Angel finally dragged her to Hell and permanently banned her from ever leaving it."

"And Cassandra?" Gothy pressed on. "What happened that made her think she was dangerous?"

"The way some clichés are revoked by the cruelties of real life." Beetlejuice shrugged. "Cassandra left to redeem herself and find her own destiny, so she never attended Rapunzel's wedding. When…" He shuddered again. "When the _other land_ was created, Rapunzel invited Cassandra to come back, especially since she wanted her to be there when she had to be in labor. Cassandra _wanted _to go back, but something happened."

Gothy looked at the picture. Specifically, she looked at the blue patch of hair Cassandra had in the picture. "The lunar powers came back. Didn't they?"

"Points to you, kid. Cassandra was scared about accidentally damaging her old home, so she came to these lands. Lydia and I met her while we were building the foundations of Macabretown with our friends. We were good friends, but she declined staying here. A few days after we got this picture taken, she told us she'd be going further east to stay away from anyone she could potentially harm."

"Did she ever say where she was thinking of going?"

"I don't know, kid. Most likely somewhere that ain't one of the massive cities in the east. But if you're really desperate to find Cassandra, I got to convince Lyds to tone down Beats' punishment. The riddled address obliges you to be escorted to the next location by her."

"Now it makes sense. Cassandra was friends with you and Lydia, so it would make sense that one of the clues would lead here… Wait. Did Cassandra ever meet Crystal's dad?"

"The old cranky owl?" Beetlejuice laughed. "We was still whining about how his crush rejected him. One of our friends wished him to bring dwarves to help construct the town and Cassandra yanked a cauldron of burning cider at his face when he said something repulsive! But seriously, don't ask what he said until you're old enough to watch adult animation!"

_Meanwhile_

While Gothy was talking to Beetlejuice in his office, Crystal was in the bathroom, and Lydia was showing Audrey around her photography galleries, Lydia went through the garage to take out the trash. Once she put the lid over the bins, she didn't flinch when she felt a presence making it's way though the open door.

"Are you ready to talk?" She turned to casually ask the Bloody Bambi. The animal hissed and spat like a cat trying to cough out a fur ball. Its sharp toothy mouth twisted to form a massive, non-animal and inhuman smile.

"_Nice to see you too, Beatrice. I apologize again for devouring your mother's roses, but you know me. I fancy bleeding flesh,_" the demon's voice spoke through the twisted smile.

"How the mighty keep surprising me." Beatrice chuckled. "It's always an entertainment when you visit Macabretown in person, but seeing you in Macabretown as a mere manifestation?"

"_Do you like it? I reanimated a stag corpse that I found rotting in the sun…_"

"Does Audrey know?" Beatrice quietly asked.

"_That her summoned demon is observing her through the manifestation of a creepy stag that she treats with such gentle touches? No._"

"Have you manifested in her subconscious?"

"_While maintaining my red colors while also keeping my features unrecognizable so only my smile stands out_."

"But she knows of your presence."

"_Yes._"

"I don't really get involved with demonic contracts, but you've never had a client in your afterlife, so I'm curious. What are your intentions with Audrey?"

The Bloody Bambi tilted its head. "_Are you worried that I'd do something terrible_?"

"'Terrible' isn't exactly enough to describe your usual chaos in Hell." Beatrice continued to talk as if she were having a phone call with a friend rather than chatting with a demon who was using an animal's mouth as a telephone. "And Audrey isn't exactly like the townsfolk of Macabretown. Everybody here knows you. You and my family are friends. I always love your visits…"

"_Thank you, my dear_."

"And here we are to the point where I find out that not only did you use a rather obvious fashion to move your manifestation around, but you were summoned by an ex-princess. Audrey's _very _different, I can tell, but I don't know enough about what makes her different from the other princesses I've met in my life that could keep you interested."

"_To put it simply, my friend, my Queen of Mean has many layers of possibilities. Many of them also come with great powers. You of all the hybrids should know that when somebody comes with great power, it can't simply be hidden in the shadowy shelves of insecurities. The individual must see how they can use it to challenge order and create chaos!_" The demon's voice sighed through the Bloody Bambi. "_You and I both know that once you lead the group to the next clue, they'll be directed towards a particular route to Cassandra Gothel. And at one point, they'll have to make a specific spot for a specific time to face their biggest temptations._" The animal pointed its hoof at its chest. "_**I'll**__ be waiting and prepared with a massive list of propositions for potential terms in the contract I must create with my Queen of Mean._"

"And I'm guessing you want my help." Beatrice smirked.

"_My Queen of Mean has defended you twice. Clearly she's developing a soft spot for you. The offspring of the Goblin King and Mother Gothel helped her enough with the basics of her powers and after being untethered to Auradon, my Queen of Mean will be seeking to wildly evolve and be free. I need you to __**encourage**__ her on how to appreciate using her powers for chaotic entertainment. Give her a need to dominate others, to challenge powerful figures, and to use her powers more often. When she comes to me, I __**do not **__want some weakling who makes our game too easy._"

"Oh, because the longer she plays along in resisting to sign a contract with you, the more entertaining things get when you both come with high terms and finally sign the contract?" Beatrice nodded. "I can work with that…"

"_I knew you would._"

"But I won't forgive you if Audrey gets hurt." Beatrice frowned. "Physically _and_ emotionally."

"_Beatrice, you know fully well that a demon cannot harm his mortal client unless the client is dead. I was dangerously close to watching her die barely a day after she summoned me. I __**WILL NOT**__ tarnish my reputation for failing my first mortal client."_

"Of course." Beatrice rolled her eyes. She briefly looked back at the door when she thought she heard somebody walking by. "Listen, I'll do what I can, but…" Beatrice paused when she saw the Bloody Bambi chewing through the grass by the drive-through. When it lifted its head up and gave Beatrice a random, animal glance as if to ask her what she was looking at, it became clear to her that the demon had hung up. The twisted smile was gone.

"Great." Beatrice shrugged as she went back inside. "Seriously. How long will it take for Audrey to realize he's nearby?"


	12. The Fall Festival of Macabretown

Chapter 12: The Fall Festival of Macabretown

Whatever memories Audrey had of Auradonian photography, she instantly grew to despise them. Lydia showed her around at least fifteen different walls in the house's photography studio (how the family managed to warp reality to make this a wild home, Audrey didn't know) and each picture hanging on the wall were individually exceptional. Audrey was amazed by how the values were manipulated in black-and-white pictures to make her feel like she could actually see the sun rays or moonlight shining in the picture, the mysterious filters the woman used to capture in perfect detail every string of hair in model shots, and whatever she did to not only bring to life different colors, but also capture shots to alternate the backgrounds or express the models' auras. Considering the price tags displayed by each piece, it didn't surprise Audrey that the Vice Mayor of Macabretown made massive money.

"Family pictures are definetly my favorites." Lydia showed the pictures she had on a purple wall, each framed within the confinements of individually designed frames. Beatrice's birthday candles had a glossy appeal, they almost looked like they could still burn. Pictures of family parties and town festivals, Audrey could see the individual threads moving as the dress fabrics danced. The simple, black-and-white picture of Beetlejuice and Lydia at their wedding was in a simple frame and had no price tags. And judging by the background, it didn't look like they were married in Macabretown.

Lydia chuckled. "It was on his second attempt to marry me that he actually succeeded in going through the ceremony."

"Did he back up the first time because he was afraid?" Audrey asked.

"Nope. It was one of those weird bad-guy routines in the 80s, where the bad guy wants the fifteen-year-old girl to marry him in exchange for saving the life of her friends."

Audrey frowned. "Why does that sound like Crystal's dad?"

"Probably because Jareth and B.J were in the same support group for creepy old guys…" Lydia laughed her head off, "and while Jareth is still whining because Sarah keeps telling him no after 30 years, B.J actually _learned _the proper methods of a second chance."

"Apologizing for being a jerk and waiting a decade or so to properly court you?"

"Nope. Alternate reality so that he and I had a series' worth of time to actually be best friends and for him to behave while I am his living morality chain. Not exactly what you'd expect, but things worked out. We properly love one another, we're married, we run a town full of people who are just as similar to us in interests, and I have a darling, if not silly, child."

Audrey gave her agreement on that last part with a giggle.

"But…" Audrey stopped giggling when Lydia sighed sadly. "It wasn't easy with my parents. My father wasn't exactly present when I needed him after my mother died, and my stepmother Delia, loving as she was, still couldn't stop trying to make me normal. B.J and I were married a few months before they created _the other land_ and Delia insisted that I divorce B.J so that the officials wouldn't send me with him on the Isle…"

"_What_?" Audrey interrupted Lydia out of shock. "Why would they shove you on the Isle of the Lost? You just told me that your husband made efforts to be good enough for you! And you're obviously still continuing a happy marriage! Why would they…"

"It doesn't matter." Lydia calmly raised her hand up. "My parents made it clear that they weren't going to support us, so we left them in the_ other land_. I'm happy with my life, my family, my friends, and my career, and I would _never_ force Beatrice to be something she's not. Frankly, it's a relief that she'll never have to meet her grandparents."

Audrey nodded as they moved forward to the next pictures, this time of town festivals. Lydia had really nailed it on the glossy effect for the photographed confetti. "Back in the other land, my family primarily expected me to raise their status by being with someone of their status. When that didn't work, I got cast aside by a lot of people. It was clear I wasn't wanted, so I ran away to help Gothy find her sister. I've been working on finding myself."

Lydia gently rested her hand on Audrey's shoulder, a gesture the latter hadn't felt in a while from an adult. "I'm sorry you had to endure such unfairness. But you're in _the better lands_. Nothing holds you back from finding yourself and you'll learn from a multitude of people on your trip that their diverse happiness, you would have never found out it in _the other land_."

Audrey smiled a bit and decided to change her mind on things. "Do you have other galleries to show?"

"Absolutely!" Lydia led Audrey to the last part of the studio, a semi-circle space of pitch black walls and purple curtains that only let in a few sunrays while dim lights illuminated the place. Still, the framed portraits managed to shine and the pictures were fully well detailed. Each one of them seemed to portray two different people, one human and the other some sort of humanoid abomination, putting poses for the camera while the background had been played around with depending on the horror or glamour they were going for.

"My greatest collection!" Lydia held her arms out. "_Demonic Duality! _It constantly grows and expand everytime a demon visits Macabretown!"

"Wait… are they _all _demons?" Audrey looked at each of them and finally saw the similarities. "Is that supposed to be reflecting the demon's human forms?"

"You'd be surprised how many filters my cameras use to properly capture the inner layers of the demon's auras, toy with the pixels, and finally duplicate the actual appearance of the demon's former living appearances and residencies!" Lydia cautiously straightened a framed portrait when it looked too tilted. "The moment they come to Macabretown for some event, many line up to portray their egos on photos. The _Demonic Duality_ is an ongoing series that not only get sold in Macabretown, but for other occult collectors and permanent galleries in the eastern cities. The Devil himself pays well for fancy pictures of the sinners he rules. With all the…" Lydia noticed that Audrey wasn't paying attention due to her focus being attracted by a portrait in particular.

Audrey definitely never knew about the possibilities of being enchanted by a portrait. She no longer thought much of her old pictures back in Auradon, and whatever she used to think of her ex-boyfriends, even the positives, were completely gone. Both the demonic and human aspects of the model fascinated her. The model's dual personalities were holding an old-fashioned microphone in the air, creating a source of red light so well manipulated, Audrey could see that many layers of glossy red and oranges had been used to capture the rays. In the background was a dark bayou and the waters were shining like red-colored diamonds due to the lighting. But despite the fanciness of the background, Audrey's eyes were mostly attached on the dual models. Both wore old-fashioned clothing, had a close to dark brownish hair, some sort of eye accessory, and a smile. But while the human side looked like some spectacled commoner with a goofy smile and his hair was dark chocolate brown that matched his eyes, the demonic side was drenched in red on his fancy suit and the entirety of his eyes. The demon's hairstyle was slightly messier, two patches of hair stood upward like animal ears, two tiny horns stood out, and only the tips of his hair kept the darker version of his human's brown hair color while the rest was of bleeding red. His dark gloves had red tips and his smile screamed pure sadism.

Dork-like mortal or perhaps some pure evil entity, Audrey wasn't quite sure why the only word she could think of for both dual models was _handsome_.

Lydia smirked when she saw Audrey's attention on the picture. "A family friend from B.J's demon side. They've known each other during my husband's time in the purgatory. Out of all the demons who visit Macabretown, he's among those who come the most unless business holds him back. He's like an insanely fun uncle to Beatrice."

"I bet you guys had a fun time on Friday the 13th."

"He didn't come, actually." Lydia looked disappointed. "The last time he came was during the lunar eclipse of July 16th, and sometime last month, he sent a paper manifestation apologizing for his upcoming absence. He's…"

"MOMMY!" Beatrice's voice rang over the walls. "We have an emergency!"

"Beatrice Deetz, Beatrice Deetz, Beatrice Deetz!" Lydia called out. A flash of light came and Beatrice landed on a chair posed by the window. "Beatrice, what have I told you about screaming in the house?"

"But Dad told me to find you and you know how I get lost in here!" Beatrice got up from the chair. "Dad wants me to go get barrels of vampire sangria before the Fall Festival starts and he wanted me to ask you if you needed anything from town."

"More barrels of vampire sangria… BEETLEJUICE, WE JUST BOUGHT DOZENS OF THOSE TWO WEEKS AGO!" Lydia shouted at the ceiling. "DON'T TELL ME YOU FINISHED ALL OF IT THE LAST TIME YOU HAD THE BOYS OVER!"

"SAY MY NAME TWO MORE TIMES TO TALK ABOUT IT!" The voice of Beetlejuice echoed over the walls.

"Beatrice, do we have enough soap for the guests?"

"Yes." Beatrice nodded.

"Is the guest room sandworm-proof?"

"Double-checked."

"What's the condition of the blade of our vegetable guillotine?"

"It's beginning to rust, and frankly the last time we had rashed browns, it cut rather messy."

Lydia swiped out a credit card out of her sleeve. "_Uniquely _use my card to buy the vampire sangria from Chez Lecter and the veggie guillotine from Wednesday's Weapon Emporium."

Beatrice nodded and hid the credit card in her sleeve. "You want to come with me, Audrey?" She casually asked Audrey.

"Sure, why not?"

"You're not going with Crystal?" Lydia frowned.

"I'd rather not. The last time she and I took a stroll in Macabretown, Ivan Daniel Plasmius stalked her, and I think she's already busy trying to bond with Gothy."

"Fair enough. Have fun girls." Lydia shouted at the ceiling again. "BEETLEJUICE, WE STILL NEED TO DISCUSS ABOUT YOUR DRINKING PROBLEM!"

"Let's get the Hell out of here before we get stuck in Parental Make Out Town!" Beatrice urged Audrey to follow her out of the studio.

_Later_

Fortunately, the cannibal restaurant and the shop of dangerous home goods were next to one another on Neither Avenue, so Beatrice didn't have much trouble going in, but she insisted that Audrey and the Bloody Bambi waited for her outside. Lecter was very easy to offense and Audrey would most likely have rejected tasting free samples and Beatrice knew there was no way the latter could resist touching anything in the bazaar that Wednesday Addams called a shop. Lecter and Addams were kind enough to take the payment and have the orders delivered straight to the Deetz house, which satisfied Beatrice. What didn't satisfy the hybrid was the result of leaving Audrey to wait outside on a bench. Beatrice lost count of the amount of passerbys who noticed the 'exotic foreigner', the newest visitor in Macabretown. Some casually approached Audrey, trying to strike a conversation. Audrey managed to keep her answers limited for their questions, but they were still interested. Even a skeleton pushing around a cart of deadly flowers tried to give Audrey a free potted corpse flower that 'matched those deadly brown eyes of hers', but Beatrice gave morphed her face into that of an alebrije to scare him off. None of the other citizens reacted since owning a corpse flower could make the owner stink for many thousands of years, and they made way for the girls and the stag as they walked around town. Even when Beatrice tried to guide them through less crowded streets and staircases, people still stared at Audrey in a fascinated way.

_Probably the result of removing the Auradonian stench_, Beatrice thought. _Her natural perfume mixed with her pretty face are luring others like bees to honey_. Beatrice shot a glance at the Bloody Bambi. The animal continued to walk by Audrey as any bodyguard animal does, but Beatrice could imagine her demon friend watching through the manifestation. _Chaotic Manipulation 101, Beatrice_, she thought to herself. _Rule Number One, figure out what makes her tip her balances._

"Wow. You seem to attract a lot of attention." Beatrice told Audrey when they finally reached one of the parks where the preparations for tonight's Fall Festival were close to done.

"I'm trying not to. Really!" Audrey tried to reassure her. They found a fallen tree bending as if it were a clawed hand resting on the ground. Following Beatrice's move, Audrey sat on the twisted branches forming the palm while the 'branchy fingers' hid them well. "Last time I was popular… Nah." She shook her head.

"Oh, you were one those high school alpha bitches?" Beatrice grinned in her leaning position. "Did you dunk pig's blood on a girl you hated on prom?"

"No." Audrey shook her head. "I turned her into an old hag. It didn't last long and we made up."

Beatrice stuck her tongue out in boredom and tried to think of something else. "Oh! Were you one of those people who's so into following _normal _traditions, you tried to get rid of your creepy and kooky neighbors?"

"No. But my grandma and I were rather prejudiced towards VKs and my first ex-boyfriend's idea of bringing them…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Beatrice waved her hands in confusion. "VKs? First ex-boyfriend? I don't even know what you're talking about… Audrey, what exactly have you done with your magic that's actually entertaining?"

It was Audrey's turn to be confused. "Entertaining?"

"Yeah? I mean what's the point of having powers if you don't use them to entertain yourself?"

Audrey smirked at Beatrice. "The way a certain hybrid uses her ghostly powers to prank others?"

"Nah, that's my thing." Beatrice shook her head. "In our modern era, regardless of whatever power they have, whether to bend reality or corrupt the governmental parties, people with power _always _crave entertainment. I mean, you've seen Crystal. Loaded with Fae magic and constantly seeking to fill her hedonistic entertainments."

Audrey pondered.

"If you had to think of some _bad things_ you did, with or without magic, what would they be?" Beatrice asked.

"Well… I _was _cheerleader…"

"Yeah…"

"The only guys I ever dated were princes because that's what my family made me think I was supposed to be with…"

"Yeah…"

"I _was _rather self-centered and jealous when Mal used her magic to give girls makeovers… I missed out on a lot of school days to get myself a makeover… I stole two artifacts and became evil, I turned the girl I hated into a hag and my first ex-boyfriend into a beast, I either made every one fall asleep or turn to stone, I locked my second ex-boyfriend in a closet…"

Beatrice blinked. "Was your life really this lousy or are you an amateur in improv acting for boredom?" _Seriously, what does he see in Audrey_? Beatrice mentally wondered.

"Why do you even want to know?" Audrey asked.

_Chaotic Manipulation 101, Rule Number Two_, Beatrice thought. _Have her break the balances._

"My dad's currently negotiating with my mom to ease down my punishment so I can take you guys to the next clue on your trip," she explained. "Problem? Macabretown is as fucked up as Crystal's wishing rules. Even when they have the liberty, the residents can't leave to go to distant places unless they're invited."

"Seriously? Who comes up with this garbage?"

"Hey, life ain't a highway, my friend! Fees come and go! Fortunately, I know a guy who's leaving out of town this weekend on the train that leaves Macabretown only once a week… Things have gotten a bit funky between us, but if we due some discreet, chaotic services, he might be able to let water under the bridge flow and let us go with him to his destination… and then, you know, we can get tickets to catch another train to go to the next clue."

"Why do I have a feeling that you're trying to find an excuse to pull a prank?" Audrey was unconvinced.

"I'm not the one to pull the pranks." Beatrice borrowed her mother's technique and tapped Audrey's nose. "_You _will!"

"_Me?_" Audrey pointed back at herself. "But I've never pulled a prank in my life!"

"Hey, so far the only interesting stuff you seem to have done before ditching the royal glamour was crushing others' egos. And knowing who you'll prank, you will _enjoy _this!" Audrey was still unconvinced. "Come on! It would be a great way to put your skills to the test, and you'll have fun messing with the assholes!"

Audrey's unconvinced expression progressively faded away. "Well, I suppose if it's for the cause of finding Gothy's sister and if the targets are jerks… Who are they anyway?"

Beatrice pulled up her left sleeve and revealed a black-and-white wristwatch. She raised her right hand up and progressively counted down three seconds with her fingers until a shout was heard. While the Bloody Bambi was eating some grass, the girls peaked through the leaves and saw four teenagers by a stand where a man was setting up an assortment of pumpkin pastries and blood orange beverages. One boy with puffy brown hair and wearing animal-based clothing that couldn't even be distinguished as fake or real was screaming at the indifferent vendor. The vendor himself indifferently slapped away with his ladle the hand of a blonde pigtailed girl dressed in a candy princess dress when she made an attempt to snatch one of his pastries. The other two teenagers, a platinum blonde boy dressed in blue and a bespectacled girl in techno-fan clothing, were too busy with their hobbies of chewing gum and playing on a gaming console respectively.

"The Bratty Kids of the Four Bratty Kids." Beatrice spat. "Vincent Salt, Augusta Gloop, Bexley Beauregarde, and N Tina Teevee. Walking stock characters that make you wonder why the hell they even live in the Macabretown."

"Nobody knows why they live here?" Audrey asked.

"No, everybody knows that their parents have fancy jobs in the eastern cities but are too self-centered to give them extra rooms in their fancy houses, so they annually rent cheap rowhouses to live in Macabretown to deal with their own indulgences while the parents get to do what they want. We just don't understand why Macabretown of all the places, especially since the one guy the parents really hate is very popular in Macabretown."

"Oh don't tell me…" Audrey quickly connected the dots and looked at the factory in the distance. "The owner of the chocolate factory? The same factory you accidentally caused a chocolate avalanche in? You want me to prank them so you'd get on Wonka's good side!"

"Do you _want _us out of Macabretown so we can help Gothy find her sister?" Beatrice quietly asked.

Audrey grimaced. She looked back at the bratty kids; Vincent Salt was trying to bully the vendor into giving him goods for free.

"IF MY MOTHER WAS THE MAYOR, SHE'D HAVE YOU TIED YOU UP TO THE RAILTRACKS AND A TRAIN WOULD RUN OVER YOU THIRTEEN TIMES!"

"Sorry. Mayor Beetlejuice already did that back in June because of the tiling problem in City Hall." The vendor was still unmoved. "Keep trying to be creative, maybe you'll actually be able to create a decent blackmail by the time the Sun becomes a supernova."

"Ooh." Audrey was impressed. "Total burn."

Beatrice giggled at Audrey's indirect pun.

"I guess you're right… That guy Vincent isn't worth listening to." Audrey tapped her chin in thought. "Zipping his mouth shut would be too easy… Beatrice, what scares him?"

Beatrice giggled to the point of cruel laughter. "He's got a serious phobia of squirrels!"

Just then, an albino squirrel jumped on the branches. Audrey gestured it to come and land in her hands. It almost seemed like a cute sight coming out of a clichéd fairytale until Audrey's eyes glowed pink again. "_Fee, fi, fo, fum, and everything passive, make this harmless rodent something massive!_" Audrey let the albino squirrel girl. They spied on it as it scurried its way towards the bratty kids; cue the part of the animal growing muscular and to the matching size of an elephant with teeth of a sabertooth cat. When Vincent Salt turned to see the monstrous albino roar at his face, his skin turned deadly white and he ran away, screaming and crying.

Audrey wasn't sure what she was feeling… besides laughing. "That was actually funny!"

"Ooh, try Gloop! She has a fear of cannibal pastries coming to life!"

And that's how it went for the next five minutes. Audrey casted three new spells she instantly invented and Augusta Gloop was running away from an army of flesh-hungry pumpkin pies, Bexley Beauregarde jumped up the park gazebo to avoid the living ooze of acidic blueberries, and N Tina Teevee ran away in fear from basketball players with TV screens for heads. Audrey and Beatrice laughed their heads (maybe a bit literally for the latter) and got out of their hiding spot when things cleared up and the Bratty Kids of the Four Bratty Kids ran away from the park. For the civilians who had witnessed the scene, they behaved as if monstrous things invading a park was something that happened every other Wednesday. The girls and the Bloody Bambi went to the vendor, who was randomly serving a blood orange juice to the monstrous albino squirrel.

"We're you responsible for this, Ms. Deetz?" The vendor asked, barely expressing a smile or a frown.

"Not me this time." Beatrice shook her head. "I'm grounded, but my friend Audrey here did the deed." Beatrice patted Audrey on the shoulder. The latter smiled weakly, expecting the vendor to tell her to go away, but all he did was hand her a glass of blood orange soda and pull out his wallet to take out some bills.

"On the house soda for getting those brats off my shoulders and 200 blights in advance if you can come by my house tomorrow to fix my termite problem."

Cue the amount of present residents who started lining up to request some magical services from Audrey.

_Later, past sundown_

Macabretown definetly proved itself insanely festive at the Fall Festival. The civilians drank, ate, and entertained themselves with festival games from knocking the cans of worms with cannonballs to outdoor bowling (or in this case, throwing a cannonball at a pile of bowls). While some tourists were struggling to try out the creepy foods, Gothy and Crystal were exchanging some cheers and drank their blood orange sodas.

"Definitely not like the Isle of the Lost!" Gothy did not hold back her burb and blood red colored bubbles escaped her mouth. Crystal laughed her head off. Meanwhile, Beatrice spoke to someone who's back was turned against the festival.

"I don't like what you're doing." He insisted.

"Come on, Will! You know nobody leaves Macabretown without an invite, and I'm not the one who pranked the assholes." Beatrice pointed a finger at the bench where Audrey sat with the Bloody Bambi by her side. Due to the pranks she had pulled on the Bratty Kids of the Four Bratty Kids and the small magical services some people had started asking her, some youngsters approached Audrey in an interest to properly get to know the magical foreigner. Many of them tried to urge Audrey to come back to Macabretown once she was done with her trip. Beatrice smirked when she saw one of her friends, Delora Cadavrariée, listing out the dates of her graveyard recitals she had programmed for the rest of the year in the hopes that Audrey would come to watch. "She's not even doing this for me, but for the sake of helping her other friends!"

Her friend tapped his fingers as he kept his arms crossed. "I _really _do not trust where you're going, but I won't deny it, I liked the monster albino squirrel. Maybe if your friend is capable of keeping those assholes off my back while I prepare the rest of the cargo for the trip _for the next days_, I'll let you guys step on the train."

"Thanks, Will!"

"_Only_ if she manages to keep them away from me and if you promise to not pull any pranks of your own for the rest of the week!"

"Great! Shake on it?" Beatrice held out her hand.

"No way! How about a hug instead?"

Beatrice agreed and gave him a quick hug. As usual with the Macabretown Fall Festival, a skeleton announced the traditional Deetz musical.

"Oh, this will be fun." Crystal smirked as the entire Deetz family, dressed in fancy maroon red coats, stood in front of the gazebo where the skeletal band proceeded to play.

Beetlejuice: _Thank you all for coming down_

_To this charming place we call Macabretown._

Lydia: _This may seem like Hell's substitute,_

_But see it more as a fun institute._

Beatrice: _Macabretown, a creepy utopia!_

_Macabretown, the home of worthy phobia!_

_Macabretown, where demons visit on special days_

_And where spooky folk get a high salary raise!_

_The gothic is regular, fairytales are irregular,_

_But your time here will be more than spectacular!_

All three: _We got a bunch of Burtonian legends,_

_The Addams Family selling kooky weapons,_

_The Baudelaires are unfortunate, but happy here!_

_Hannibal Lecter has his own restaurant,_

_The Beldam's appearance can still haunt,_

_Grenouille is selling rather than killing, and happy here!_

_This place ain't wrecked,_

_Everything's perfect,_

_Fun for humans and home for a creepy clown,_

_We're all happy here at Macabretown! _

Beatrice: _Nobody has to fear of burning at the stake,_

_We get along just fine and share a buggy milkshake_

Lydia: _And Friday 13 is a regional holiday, anytime of the year!_

Beetlejuice: _It's Macabretown! Have a blood orange beer!_

All three: _We got a bunch of deadly monsters,_

_Lousy actors pretending to be doctors,_

_Corpses who play at the witching hour, it's all fun!_

_Demonic contracts become regional festivities,_

_Children learn through creepy activities,_

_And witches get to take a break when the week's done!_

_This place ain't for wenches,_

_We'll keep you up the benches_

_And have so much fun you'll never frown,_

_We're all happy here at Macabretown!_

Needless to say, everyone cheered as bright fireworks designed to look like spiderwebs illuminated the night sky. When the interested crowd gave her some space, Audrey exchanged some cheers with Gothy.

"Never thought I'd say this, but this is the most exciting party I've ever been to in my life!" Audrey laughed out loud.

"Looks like somebody's definetly gone over her ex-Auradonian moralities!" Gothy laughed and hiccupped at the same time.

"Who cares?" Audrey snorted. "I bet that while we're having the time of our lives, they're probably having some boring castle potluck and have completely forgotten us! SOMEBODY GIVE ME A REFILL!"


	13. Museum Rumble and Loan Sharks

Chapter 13: Museum Rumble and Loan Sharks

If people were confused as to the time that has been going on in the previous chapters, let's quickly catch up. This was all happening on Wednesday. Wednesday morning was when Audrey and co reached Macabretown, late morning was the Auradonian perfume extraction at the spa of scents, afternoon when Audrey pranked the assholes, and currently the evening when she had to be carried back to the Deetz household after she got drunk from her beverage. And what happened in Auradon? Wednesday morning was when Charles Frollo did his demonology knowledge ranting and Mal got the message from Maleficent's loan shark, late morning was when she made an excuse to respond for Maleficent and invite the loan shark to come tomorrow, afternoon was a rampage of rabid stags and does biting people, and currently the evening when everything was suddenly dead quiet and Ben decided to do a 4 guys only trip to the Auradon Cultural History Museum.

"Why do I have to come?" Charles whined when Gill dragged him up the steps.

"You're the one who said he had yet to trash the place," Gill pointed out.

"Yes, I said the demon had yet to trash the museum, but not that I wanted to _go _in!" Gill gave him a big pout that caused Charles to roll his eyes. "_Fine._"

Gill gave Charles a friendly ruffle on the hair before the latter brushed it away. They joined Jay and Ben, who went on to unlock the front door of the museum and led the boys inside. The guard was still sleeping at his post. While Jay felt like he was seeing déja vu at the sight of the guard, Charles wrote down a screaming note on a piece of paper telling the guard to drink more coffee.

"So what made you think that the museum would be struck next?" Ben asked.

"The demon's primarily targeting people that offended Audrey and damaging stuff that belongs to them also include," Charles explained. "He already damaged a good portion of her family's kingdom, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to steal something that her family put on display here…"

"Like how she stole stuff here and became evil?" Gill asked.

"Very good, _mon ami_." Charles and Gill exchanged a high five.

"He can't possibly go for the scepter. It's disabled and out of the museum." Ben shook his head.

"And I doubt he fancies _that_." Jay pointed at the spinning wheel that was still displayed in the lobby. "Unless he wants to threaten Audrey to sleep…"

Charles shook his head. "No, I read in a brochure that the museum holds on display the old crowns of Queen Leah and King Stephan. Since Queen Leah practically added the most pressure on her, I thought the demon would steal the last royal jewels the queen had from her late king…"

"Not dumb. The crowns are in the Hall of Kings and Queens. Let's go!" Ben led the boys up the stairs to the third floor.

"By the way, have you talked to your dad about what happened lately?" Jay asked Ben.

"Not really." Ben admitted. "I still have a hard time believing that he went on with such things…"

"Tricking the family of the Fallen Angel himself or forcing two societal options that resulted in a massive exodus into the unknown lands of pure anarchy?" Charles asked sarcastically.

"Everything." Ben sighed as they slowed down.

"Eh, you'll get over it. Humanity is the purgatory that comes before the actual purgatory." Before the boys could respond to his dark statement, they reached the doorway leading straight to the semi-circular room where crowns, scepters, robes, coronation uniforms and wedding souvenirs of the royal families of Auradon were displayed. Ben led the boys to the left side of the semi-circle's center; not too far from where Beast's former princely crown was displayed, the golden fleur-de-lys crowns of Audrey's grandparents were displayed in a glass case. While Jay made sure to close the doorway, Ben pulled out the skeleton key to unlock the safety glass, exposing the crowns.

"Wow. Stuffed out of the 11th century!" Gill geeked out. "Gold-plated silver and iron on the king's crown!"

"Heh. King Stephan and Queen Leah must have been cheap back then," Charles chuckled.

"I didn't even know it wasn't real gold." Ben stared at Gill. "How did you know?"

"Shan-Yu's private classes of Conquerors History weren't boring." Gill shrugged and picked up the crown of the deceased king and flipped so they could see the small signs of black scraps inside the crown. "See? The inside is complete iron and silver and very old, but the outside is brand new gold plating. They probably did it every century to keep the gold new…"

"I still don't get why they teach that kind of stuff in… Conquerors History?"

"Shan-Yu said that many conquerors would cover their artifacts and weapons with mineral plating to either hide their intentions or protect themselves," Gill explained. "Iron and silver are known to injure the non-humans. You know, like how iron injuries fairies, silver injures werewolves and demons."

"Sleeping Beauty's kingdom is rather old and rooted from medieval times," Charles stated. "And many kingdoms are initially started by wars, rulers invading and stealing lands, and civilizations persecuting others. I wouldn't be surprised if Audrey's grandfather had an ancestor who kick-started their kingdom by conquering minor lands and created this crown to defend himself from potential witchcraft." Charles chuckled yet again. "_Mon imbécile de père aurait du porté cette couronne." _(French for 'My idiot of a father should have worn that crown.)

"And Queen Leah's crown?" Ben asked.

Gill put down King Stephan's crown to have a look at Queen Leah's. He shook his head. "Second-rated gold made pretty with yellow diamonds. Rather harmless."

"Guys! Jay hissed. Footsteps could be heard coming from the other side of the door. Ben quickly locked the crowns back in their safety glass and the boys ran to hide behind the display of wedding uniforms. Rather than being unlocked or forced open, the door burned in flames, creating an arched holed for a cloaked red silhouette to step in. While the door continued to burn and threatened to potentially burn the room, the boys continued to hide silently as the silhouette continued to march towards the crowns. The silhouette pulled out some strange, body long cane from underneath its cloak, but the smoke of the fire made it too hard to distinguish the cane's top. One thing was certain, it was strong enough for the silhouette to use it and break the safety glass.

Seriously, why weren't the sprinklers or alarms ringing?

The silhouette grabbed King Stephan's crown and unceremoniously tossed it at the wall. The manifestation's strength was strong enough for the collision to break the crown into pieces. As the broken pieces met their fate with the flames, the silhouette went to grab Queen Leah's crown. The boys dreaded that the silhouette would break that one too but wound up surprised when the crown was held up and transformed in the silhouette's grip. The golden crown of fleur-de-lys turned into a dark crown of pink and blue diamonds merged into the shape of thorns and the upper jewels as small spinel gemstones carved to look like wings.

"Think you mortals can dupe me?" The silhouette taunted. The boys dreaded the worst, but Ben being Ben, he stepped out of his hiding spot. "Well, well, well, the King of Auradon himself! I'd say it's an honor to meet you, but you've soiled my Queen of Mean's honor." Though the silhouette's face was perfectly shrouded in the shadows of its cloak, Ben could see a glowing sadistic smile that never changed.

"Why are you doing this?" Ben asked as calmly as he could. "Audrey would never deal with someone who'd hurt Auradon…"

"The _abused _and _exploited _princess wouldn't. My Queen of Mean would."

"Audrey's too traumatized by what happened to her. She'd never revert to evil."

"Her trauma is a mere leash on a hellhound that doesn't need confinements. Good and evil are a joke whereas chaos is reality. She has completely abandoned Auradon, stripped herself of her connections and royal status, and is now heading to a destiny she'll fashion. Her powers would have been wasted here, but with my services, they'll reach their perfection and my Queen of Mean will be the perfect reincarnation of chaos."

"Body possession?" Jay peaked from behind his hiding spot.

"Ha! No."

"Vices that violate?" Charles shuddered.

"Your ideas repulse and bore me," the silhouette spoke in disgust. "No wonder she left you all behind. I should just transform you all, but knowing that Auradon will be falling into further pieces by tomorrow while my Queen of Mean finally earns her happy ending is good enough of a reward. I wish none of you good night!" The flames circled around the silhouette like a vortex until he and the fire disappeared, leaving the room scorched and reeking of smoke. That's when the fire sprinklers finally went on. Jay was able to use his gloved hands to pick up the broken pieces of King Stephen's crown and brought them to Ben. While the two were busy talking, Charles and Gill had their own chat behind the hiding spot.

"Well the guy's got fire." Gill nodded.

"But not with sinful motives as disgusting as the ones your dad and mine had." Charles pondered.

"And did you hear his voice? Sounded like listening to the radio."

"And that accent through the static? _Very _Southern. Almost with the same charisma as Dr. Facilier." Charles snapped his fingers. "I might have an idea, Gill. But let's keep it between us."

_The next day, on Thursday morning_

The press really knew how to come at inconvenient times. While our main characters had assembled in the ballroom currently used as a conference room, the press was trying to bombard them with questions about the break-in at the museum. Meanwhile, Queen Leah was crying over the remains of her late husband's crown.

"My guts' killing me." Mal gulped in her chair.

"You'll do fine, my dear." Flora the Fairy gently patted her shoulder. "Just explain to the loan contractor that your mother is taking an undetermined absence and that you are willing to negotiate the fee by blood…"

The door quietly opened and the room turned dead silent. A trio of people appeared and proceeded to walk their way through the lined chairs. The main figure, a female dressed in a teal-green trench over a purple dress with shattered glass patterns, purple tights and laced boots, and a fancy matching hat with a snake on it made her way towards the platform where the hosts sat at. As the lights got less dim, her lavender skin, her black and teal air tied in a messy bun, her bluish eyes, and rosy lips were revealed. But what really stunned everyone was that the beautiful creature looked like she could be only a few months older than Mal. The crowd screamed as a massive snake slithered towards the figure and rested itself on her shoulders like a fashionable boa. The other two figures, a character we already met and a teenage girls with messy black and pink dyes on her blonde hair and clown street attire, joined behind her.

"Penna De Mort?" The Three Good Fairies and Fairy Godmother could barely choke it out.

"Nice to see you again, ladies," the fancily dressed girl sneered at the fairies before gesturing to her male companion. "Aren't you going to bow to Marius Bogfae, son of the Bog King Lysander and Fairy Queen Marianne, descendant of Fae deities Titania and Oberon, and thus, _your superior?_" Marius Bogfae showed off his wings, causing the fairies to panic and get off their chairs to bow down.

"Eh. I've seen the Tooth Fairy beg for better mercy." Marius rolled his eyes.

Penna darted her eyes to Beast, Belle, and Audrey's family. "Will you look at that!" She laughed. "The great monarchs who caused everything! Bet you didn't expect to see my face again, did you? Especially with my mist shrouding the perfect lands from Auradon."

"Eh. I loved the current makeover? Are the rabid stags a current trend?" The clown girl smirked through her dark red lips.

"_You're _the one who put the mist on the other side of the Auradon Wall?" Mal cautiously pointed at Penna.

"As correct as snake-infested waters." Penna grabbed Mal's hand and shook it, sending it shivers through the latter's skin. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Penelope Svjetla Marvolo Riddle, shortly called Penna De Mort. Daughter of Voldemort and the nature demoness Svjetla." Surprisingly, many members in the audience panicked.

"Voldemort..." Mal pulled her hand away from Penna. "My mom used to tell me stories of how terrible he was. I thought she made it all up!"

"Believe me, he was real." Penna rolled her eyes. "Fortunately, thanks to the powers of my magical contracts, I amplified my magic enough to trap him in eternal limbo. It's still an ongoing struggle."

"Uh, question?" A press member asked. "Are you evil or strangely benevolent?"

"Excellent question!" Penna pointed at the press member. "I like to think of myself as a realistic contractor. People come because they're desperate, I pass a contract with them, and with the terms fully completed, I use the magic to keep my father imprisoned or else the world is doomed. I generally act like a harsh, vile woman, but deep down I connect with everyone. In fact, I connected with _so many people_, I led a massive exodus 22 years ago before shrouding the mist because _some king,_" she glared at Beast while her snake hissed, "add specific _ideas_ of who should be sent to the Isle, who stays in Auradon, and which pieces of lands do we keep to create a utopia while the other lands are ditched!"

The press stared at Beast.

"No! Why would you tear away these valleys?" The clown girl faked crying.

"Hush!" Marius mockingly imitated Beast. "I'm the new King! This is Auradon! The rest is trash!"

"Oh, why would you force me to divorce my husband? I know he's evil, BUT I LOVE HIM!"

"Silence, you meaningless peasant! Either you divorce and become a proper Auradonian, or you go with him to the Isle of the Lost and your family will shun you!"

"Hey, what the heck? I was having the time of my life in Hell, but now I'm revived just to be sent to another prison? INCARCERATION IS TOO MUCH DAMNATION!"

"I don't care! I'm the King of Auradon!"

"Wait! I have an idea! Let's run away to the other side of the wall before Penna De Mort unleashes her mist and we can finally have a safe life from the so-called goody-two-shoes loonies!" The clown girl grinned. "And there goes our 10 minutes portrayal of what happened 22 years ago. You like?"

To the shock of the hosts, some press members actually applauded. The snake on Penna's shoulders tilted its head as if to suggest that it had seen better comedy.

"Besides Jessie and Marius' tutorial… Where's Maleficent?" Penna turned to face Mal. "I'm a bit surprised you aren't as horny as she was the last time I saw her."

"Thanks." Mal took a breath. "My mother is currently taking an undetermined absence. She didn't say where she went or when she'd come back."

"Maleficent doesn't do vacations." Penna frowned.

"It's more of a hiatus. We're not really communicating very well due to our differences in opinion."

That's when Penna noticed the engagement ring on Mal's finger. After rotating her eyes between Mal and Ben, Penna laughed her head off. Even her snake joined in the laughter that terrified the audience. "Oh, this is _rich!_" She laughed at Beast and Belle. "It took you people 22 years to be _this progressive?_ I'm guessing the family tree will be getting hornier if the grandchildren become beast-dragon hybrids!"

"Very funny…" Beast muttered.

Penna continued laughing for the next minutes before finally returning to Mal. "So you're speaking for your mother?"

"Yes. Hopefully we can sort out the fee of blood…"

"Ooh, that won't work!" Penna stopped laughing and got serious. "I _specifically _need Maleficent for that! Marius, read them the contract out loud." Penna tapped her snake on the head and the creature choked and spat out a rolled scroll like a regular snake coughing out the remains of an egg it had swallowed. Marius shook the scroll to get rid of the snake saliva, unrolled and read it out loud.

"_This document confirms the magical contract between her Lady Penna De Mort of the British Wizarding Community and Mistress Maleficent of France. After serving years to her Lady with loyalty, her Lady has granted the Mistress with a magical scepter to become an evil Fae and use the scepter as she chooses. While the magic of the contract further enables her Lady to imprison the Dark Lord in his prison, the scepter is defended from failing its owner three times. Should the scepter fail the owner on the third time, the owner must present herself to her Lady and join her to the Forbidden Fortress up in the mountains before the sun sets on December 21__st__. Before that date, the scepter's owner must pay the fee by blood: a Fae sacrifice done out of pure will. With the sacrifice to which the owner is willingly killed, the magic of her body and soul will increase the magic of the limbo and permanently ban anyone from ever escaping it. Should the owner fail to be sacrificed, the Dark Lord will escape his prison, and by the time the sun sets on December 21__st__, he will be permanently freed to do as he pleases to destroy the world._"

"WHAT?" Mal exclaimed.

"You can't be serious!" Fairy Godmother joined in. "Maleficent would never perform such a deal that would cost her life!"

"Her signature is at the bottom of the document." Marius rolled the document so that they could see the massive signature of Maleficent, probably written in a time when she was overconfident and thought that she wouldn't fail. "It's legitimate."

"But…" Mal gasped.

"Believe me, I'd personally wish there was an other way, but a consenting Fae's sacrifice is the only way Voldemort can be permanently sealed in limbo, I swear it on the River Styx." Penna patted Mal on the shoulder. "If he escapes, the non-magical won't survive his desires full of purges, destruction, and separation."

"Isn't there any kind of loophole?" Ben asked.

"Well Bossy did write _one loophole_ with Dragon Lady!" The clown girl snatched the scroll from Marius and forced it onto the table. She even jumped to kneel on it as she searched and pointed at the paragraph that followed what Marius had just read. "It says _right here_ that like any other magical artifact, the scepter can switch owners and transfer its magical energy to the new owner before permanently shutting down its circuits! In other words, to save your future mommy-in-law, the Stick of Wonder should have been used by another girl and thus transferred its energy to her, making her a human with Fae powers like Maleficent!"

"_Yes_, I did put that loophole there in case Maleficent would possibly chicken out, Jessie," Penna snapped as she took the scroll and forced it back into her snake's mouth, "but I know Maleficent! She'd never share her own scepter! And I was really bummed when I heard the scepter failed her the first time with Sleeping Beauty. So, how did it fail her the last two times?"

One could imagine the dread that overwhelmed a lot of people. The second time the scepter failed its owner was when Mal defeated Maleficent during Ben's coronation, and the third time… was when it came to the temporary possession of Audrey. As if it wasn't bad enough that a demon was rampaging Auradon because he had yet to properly create a contract with Audrey, it turned out that the scepter's magical energy had transferred to Audrey. The latter might end up butchered just to keep the world from being invaded by a wizard far more psychotic than Maleficent. While many feared giving the answer, many had the look of temptation to rat out the princess they didn't like.

"I used the staff." Everyone stared at Mal. "I used it the third time."

"Mal?" Ben choked.

But Mal went on with her lie. "The scepter failed on my mother the second time when I kept her from conquering Auradon. And the third time…" Mal bit her lip. "I got into an argument with Audrey, things got wild, and I don't know what happened to make me use my mom's scepter on her."

"You tried to curse some girl… after redemption." Penna looked skeptical.

"My ex-girlfriend, actually," Ben admitted.

"Ooh! Juicy!" Jessie tapped her fingers.

"What, so you girls had a catfight because her ex wanted to get hitched with you?" Penna frowned.

"Yes… I tried to hit a sleeping curse on her, but it didn't work. The scepter stopped functioning and she got really upset. She ran away…"  
"Uh… uh…" Penna still had a hard time believing her story.

"Probably some meaningless cheerleader." Marius rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. Spoiled rich with brown hair walking around her blue and yellow uniform?"

"Yes." Not exactly a lie in Mal's perspective. Audrey used to be a brunette and a cheerleader.

"Eh." Jessie shrugged. "If she crossed the mist, she's already dead. Every single local's ready to shed some blood if they find royal arteries strolling around _their _neighborhood!"

Leah and Hubert hesitantly stared at one another.

"Relax, the only ones who cross the mist are the folks who are actually sane enough to know Auradon is messed up," Marius told Jessie dismissively. "Seriously, the refugees I've seen lately. Huns, mailmen, belief-shattered folk, naïve girls with demon escorts…"

This caused Mal to widen her eyes in panic. Fortunately, nobody noticed it. "Naïve girls with demon escorts?" Penna frowned. "When was that?"

"Eh. Earlier in the month, that excuse of Fae princess dominating goblins Crystals pulled off one of her tricks to have my guards arrest Jareth…"

"_Again?_"

"I know, right? Long story short, I chased them to the end of a cliff with the Living Tar. Apparently she had enough time to make friends with two refugees from Auradon. One of them might as well be the future Mrs. Crystal Maze and some blonde thrill seeker whose completely clueless that her bodyguard stag is a demon."

"Did you try drowning them in the Underground by rising the Bog of Eternal Stench?" Penna's eyes gleamed in a dreamy state.

"No. I had them fall down a landslide and they left upstream following my kill threat if they made a U-turn. I have the twins spying on them right now in Macabretown but it looks like the blonde thrill seeker is too busy drowning in blood orange sodas with the Deetz brat while the fake Goblin Princess… has her weird stuff going on with the future Mrs. Crystal Maze."

Penna blinked as if this was the weirdest story she ever saw on a sitcom before shrugging it off. "Well I don't blame the blonde one for being too drunk to notice details. Auradon's full of shit and the blood orange beverages of Macabretown are to die for." She shook her head and turned back to Mal. "Well this is tricky… I intended for Maleficent to be the sacrifice, but if you used the scepter when it failed the third time… And since these are progressive times, I will let you guys decided which one goes for the kill."

"Charming decision," Mal groaned.

"I'll expect a response by the first week of December. If I come back to see that Maleficent has decided to betray our contract or that you refuse to sacrifice yourself, I will not hesitate to choose any of you to decapitate. All I care is that Voldemort does not escape."

"I understand." Mal nodded.

"Look on the bright side. For once, Auradon is actually doing something decent! What's the worst that could happen?"

Cue the doors bursting open and Charles Frollo marching his way through. Whatever inch of exposed skin he had was stained by bleeding fresh wounds. He gripped tightly on the briefcase he carried with his left hand.

"Charles! What happened to you?" Evie gasped.

"I'm sick of the messes you Auradonian caused!" He shouted. "First I have to deal with the chaos _one of yours_ causes and now I nearly get the whipping of a lifetime! My life on the Isle is a blasphemy and your so-called perfect land is undergoing damnation! I'm saving _my hide _and going wherever the others went across the wall!"

The hosts and press gasped. The visitors, on the other hand, had the face of lottery winners.

"Finally! Somebody who makes rational decisions!" Penna got down from the platform and casually shook hands with Charles. "What's your name?"

"Charles Frollo, ma'am."

Penna leaned a bit. "And the son of a bigot! You think I didn't notice those hidden Roma curls of yours?"

"There usually hidden to the main eyes. I got most of my appearance from Frollo."

The sorceress kept smirking. "We can gladly give you a ride across the wall. My main turf is in the east where the most urbanized cities are located. I can drop you off at one of the urbanized cities there."

_Later_

"I can't believe that Charles just abandoned us!"

The visitors had departed from the conference, taking an ecstatic Charles with them. The sun was setting now and Mal was angrily pacing as the group went out of the castle. The press was gone.

"Mal, I can't believe that you just lied to the most dangerous witch in existence!" Fairy Godmother said. "Your mother lost all her magical powers when you turned her into a lizard and you lied about Audrey! If Penna kills any of you, she'll be furious to discover that you lied!"

"I know! But what really scares me is that the prince guy met Audrey and Gothy! Why he hasn't told Penna about her until now, I don't know, but if Penna finds out Audrey has the magical energy, he can easily have his minions locate and capture her!"

"No need to worry." The group paused and saw that Gill was sitting on the front steps of the castle. "It's why Charles came up with his plan."

"Charles… had a plan?" Ben asked.

"After the attack at the museum last night, Charles came up with the genius idea of pretending to want to leave Auradon. With a faster way to travel, he figured that he'd be able to track down Gothy and Audrey."

"Charles had a plan to find them and you didn't tell us?" Jay exclaimed.

"Charles thought that it would be more believable if it looked like he betrayed Auradon to save his own hides… and they believed him," Gill finished his explanation. "You got to admit. For a small dude, Charles is a lot smarter than his dad."

"Did he also purposely provoke Frollo into whipping him?"

"Well Frollo's already applied the whips on him since he could walk and Charles knew I could never whip him."

"Charles Frollo is a genius alright," Mal admitted. "But how can he be so sure that he can find Audrey and Gothy?"

Gill hesitated but sighed. "There's something that Charles made me swear to never tell. It's not a coincidence if his Roma genes are hidden because his ancestors are all but extinct. Until now, only one woman had Roma genes thought to have disappeared for centuries. And because of these genes, he can track his sister."

"You don't mean…."

Gill nodded. "You're the kid of the most powerful villains. Charles is the kid of the most mentally abusive villains. Frollo… and Mother Gothel."


	14. Delora's Inspiration

Chapter 14: Delora's Inspiration

With the purple curtains shielding the guest room from any possible sunrays, Gothy could have easily slept in peace if the sounds of running water turning off didn't wake her. She groaned and sat up on the divan bed designed to resemble a Venus flytrap. Her groans worsened when she saw that the door connected the guest room to the nearest bathroom was wide open and she had to witness Crystal stepping out of the shower.

"Morning, Gorgeous." Crystal didn't even turn her head and casually grabbed a hand towel to rub herself dry.

"Really? Second night we spend in someone else's house and you still keep the bathroom door open?" Gothy forced the comfy blanket off her and forced her messy hair down.

"I'm sorry. Would you have preferred for me to continue watching you in your sleep and scare the living daylights out of you?" Crystal chuckled as she put on some pants. Gothy blushed when she realized that Crystal actually never put undergarments while dressing. No wonder she thought she hallucinated seeing too much flesh. _To think Audrey manages to sleep easy while sharing a room with Beatrice_, Gothy thought.

"Already set out your clothes for you." Crystal pointed at a pile of clothes that rested by the nightstand closet to Gothy's bed.

"OK, just what is your deal?" Gothy stomped both feet on the ground. "Are you expecting to gain something from trolling around and getting all… _flirty_ with me?" Gothy shuddered as she struggled to say 'flirty'.

"No. I get flirty when I do one-night stands. I'm just trying to do my best effort in wooing." Crystal closed the bathroom door after putting on her last piece of clothing, a maze-patterned leather jacket that squeezed tightly around her waist.

"_Wooing?_" Gothy spat. "No, no, no, no! I got standards!"

Crystal's casual expression dropped. "Are you… being _biased_?"

"What? No?" Gothy shook her hands in defense. "I just… don't like being meaninglessly flirted with."

Crystal frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Gothy sighed and sat down on her bed again. "I've dealt with this too many times… I'm was very anti-social back on the Isle because of my family's problems and when I actually stepped out to be near other people, I suddenly got the treatment only my mother would appreciate! Guys and girls only flirting with me because I was pretty and as Mother Gothel's offspring, I'm 'supposed' to only value my looks!"

Crystal said nothing. She merely sat down next to Gothy and said nothing for the next six minutes until she finally found a topic. "Finding Cassandra to fill up the lack of family love isn't the only reason you left your old home, is it?"

Gothy shrugged. "She's probably the only family relative I can tolerate."

Crystal cupped her hand on Gothy's cheek and had her turn to stare at her. The latter could feel some… tingling sensation. "I know that look," Crystal said. "You abandoned your little brother."

Gothy recoiled from Crystal's hold. "H… How…"

"Goblin Princess, remember? My whole dad's story was about how some girl regretted wishing her baby half-brother away and his idea of wooing was to make her run his Labyrinth. Not to mention there were a lot of girls like her who didn't succeed the way she did… and they paid their price." Crystal put her hand down. "My best guess is that your mom had a notorious record for passing flings, you were the result of one of those flings and the paternal identity was never bothered to be revealed, and her last fling was the last straw for her."

Gothy gave a small nod. "Pretty close," she said, impressed.

"So who's the loser who gave your mom your half-brother?"

"Frollo."

It probably took Crystal ten minutes to break out of her petrified shock to get of her seat and walk to the bathroom. After finally flushing out her barfs, she walked back to her seat. "I'm sorry. This is revolting."

"Tell me about." Gothy rolled her eyes.

"_Frollo?_ Your mother, _Mother Gothel_, had a fling with _Judge Claude Frollo_?" Crystal was still under shock.

"Accidental fling."

"Accidental… how do the most mentally abusive villains on the cheap side of the world have a one-night stand _by accident?_"

"Let's just say that when the Evil Queen throws a New Year's Eve party, you need to double-check her recipes for homemade beverages."

"Ouch… and they…"

"Never understood how they woke up the next day in the same bed in her house. They acted as if it never happened… and Mother Gothel realized she was expecting."

"And your half-sibling?"

"She immediately shoved him at Frollo's door 2 hours after she delivered him." Gothy sighed in exasperation. "Thank goodness her time of passing flings was terminated."

"I really hate to be condescending, Gorgeous, but I can't help but notice the hypocritical humor here. Am I to understand that you ditched one half-sibling just so you could find your other half-sibling?"

Gothy frowned. "There was nothing hypocritical. Charles and I spent our childhoods hating one another."

"How ironic. The kids of two mentally abusive villains, unable to connect," Crystal said sarcastically. "And yet, you managed to get along _just fine_ with me and Pink Fingers?"

"It's different with you and Audrey. OK, you're a bit of a creep but you at least try to interact with me like a civilized person, and Audrey has mental delicacy that needs proper attention than her previous earnings. Charles and I, on the hand, always had something to hate about each other. He hated how our mother at least acted like I existed while I hated how he at least had an identifiable father figure beating around. I wanted to be left alone and nobody would give me space when I was in public, and when he stood out, people ran away from him like he was the Grim Reaper. People thought I was too vain and pretty to have a personality, and they thought he was a grey-haired gremlin with a massive brain. The one thing we probably have in common besides hating one another is that we carry the same dagger."

Crystal blinked. "Wow. Some family."

"Oh, it gets worse. His dad doubled on the hypocrisy. He had no idea that Mother Gothel originated from a group of gypsies that were all but exterminated by fanatics like him. Her extended vanity made her the sole survivor until my half-siblings and I came along. And nobody on the Isle of the Lost besides me and Gaston's son Gill are aware that the first time the Isle's barrier was breached… Charles was the only one who got an eruption of Roma magic."

"_Shut up!_" Crystal was shocked. "You got none of it while your half-sibling pretty much got magic under the nose of his paternal?"

"Believe me, I tried until the barrier was closed and when I first got to Auradon." Gothy shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We're leading separate lives right now. By now, Charles must be ecstatic about using magic as he pleases and moving out of the Isle."

_Later _

The Deetz family had a generally manageable lifestyle in their house when it came to chores. With the pickiness the Ghost With The Most and the hybrid had about hygiene, Lydia was the one who cleaned the house up and down, from the filthiest cobweb hanging on the ceiling to the termites hiding behind the furniture. With the distaste the two women in the house had of contributing to gender stereotypes, Beetlejuice was the one who cooked every single meal. With the agreement that she wouldn't prank her own parents, Beatrice was responsible for double-checking the efficiency behind every single booby trap in the house.

The family was outright creepy and kooky, but Audrey really enjoyed her second day as a guest there. The moment Beatrice's parents had gladly accepted hosting the guests until Beatrice could work out her prank-free agreement with her friend, the hybrid had insisted for Audrey to sleep with her in Beatrice's room. It did shock the others that despite the room's mess and Beatrice being the loudest snorer in Macabretown, Audrey slept with ease. And while Beetlejuice was capable of cooking both human and ghostly food, Audrey found out she actually liked his scarab pancakes.

Lydia had Crystal and Gothy pose as cameos for her reality show due to two background actors calling in sick. Beetlejuice gave his daughter and Audrey a ride in Doomie, his sentient car (once again, the Bloody Bambi distanced himself a bit). Barely a few minutes after pulling Doomie out of the garage, Beetlejuice turned on the radio station for only five minutes to quickly listen the rapid news of USA-FM.

"_Up next at 8:30am on USA-FM, your international radio station for the United States of Anarchy. If you live in the northwest areas by the shores of the northern seas, start panic shopping! It's that annual time of year when zombie viruses have those bar fights that remind you just how fucked up humanity really is! And don't cross paths with Jombiui Changjoja, he's been making contaminations no different than World War Z!_

"_For towns living around Macabretown, keep enjoying the remains of the Fall Festival while you still can! And remember to send tributes for Willywaffle Wonka, his father said that he'll need them for an EPIC trip he's heading to this weekend towards the Troll Lands! And now might be a right time to go Halloween shopping! I heard Beatrice Deetz has been prank-free for two days, it's so creepy!"_

"Hey, Dad!" Beatrice grinned. "I'm on the morning news!"

"International morning news!" Beetlejuice grinned as he continued driving.

"_Off in the east, things are getting both hot and cold! Hot side, we've heard just last night that head honcho heirs of Villainapolis and Gotham City have finally left for their 6-month long honeymoon! I heard it's so long because one mother-in-law REALLY wants grandkids by next year! Cold side, we heard of a blizzard in the Seussian Lands that really messed up the main train line. If you're intention was to go there on the main line, you're going to need at least three different trains on the secondary lines to get there from the west! Advertisement is on the way soon! Don't forget that this network is sponsored by Lady De Mort herself!_"

"Dang it!" Beatrice groaned when her father turned off the radio station. "I hoped we'd take the main line from the Troll Lands to the Seussian Lands!"

"Well when you put it into that perspective, my Sugar Beetle, it's probably safer to constantly transfer trains," Beetlejuice pointed out. "You know this time of year is particularly tricky in the east."

"Why's that?" Audrey asked from the back seat.

"The east is where the biggest cities are, remember?" Beatrice turned on her seat to look at Audrey who was sitting behind her. "Compared to Macabretown, the cities in the east are bigger, larger, are very… open about their competitive nature. Things go wild. It's basically paradise for thrill-seekers, hedonists, and gang leaders in turf wars."

"Humanity is the purgatory before the actual purgatory," Beetlejuice nodded and bit his lip in frustration. "The other side is suffocating in rules and prejudice. Here, in the United States of Anarchy, the only real authorities are the individuals who have more influence and power than anyone else to govern turfs, counties, districts, businesses, and even label the trash cans that belong in their domains."

"Villainapolis…" Audrey pondered. "It sounds almost like the Isle of the Lost…"

"I think the name was mostly used for marketing." The ghost with the most shrugged. "Many supervillains have established dominance over the city's territories, but they're generally open-minded about the antiheroes and superheroes who either live there or commute between Villainapolis and New Heroes."

Audrey scoffed. "_New Heroes_? The town's name sounds an awful lot like someone's bad idea to promote a shampoo!"

Beetlejuice sighed and shook his head. "And to think a former supervillain had standards when he tried to sell his own brainwashing shampoo." He made a turn and parked by the Musical Academy of the Corpse Bride, where the girls got off. "Now remember, Sugar Beetle. Have fun, but keep listening to your mom. No pranks all day!"

"My lack of pranks is giving everyone bigger chills than being trapped in a sandbox full of sandworms, they'll be begging me to resume my antics!" Beatrice boasted.

"Aw. My Sugar Beetle is growing up so fast!" The mayor gave his daughter a quick kiss on the cheeks before driving off to work. After his car disappeared at the next right turn, Audrey and Beatrice walked up to the front door of the Musical Academy, the building itself bearing the appearance of an abandoned church that underwent a massive amount of boarding and painting to cover all the holes on the roof and the broken stained glass windows. One of the board patches covering a window had a painted illustration of an angel made out of tears falling from heaven and the words 'TEARS TO SHED FROM HEAVEN' were spray-painted over the painted depiction of Heaven.

They didn't even have to knock. Delora Cadavrariée, the daughter of the Corpse Bride, immediately opened the door. "Great, you're here!" She clapped her hands before dragging them inside. The interior of the church had been altered so that the mass hall was now a cobweb-designed theater and the benches meant for the audience were gray and cushioned to resemble tombstones. The stage curtains were night blue with butterfly patterns and the walls were plastered with promotional posters of what Audrey imagined were probably posters of the diverse productions at the academy.

"I'm so glad you could come here before you have to leave Macabretown!" Delora clapped her hands and spiders came down with cups bearing blood orange soda. "I'd be bummed if I couldn't get inspirations from Audrey herself before we can finally produce the musical about her."  
Audrey chuckled nervously as she drank. "Still not sure why you wanted to write a musical about me."

"Girl, she does it for _anyone _she meets!" Beatrice rolled her eyes. "We had productions like _Beetlejuice and Lydia: The Untold Romance_, _Lecter Cooking In The Rain, The Heir and the Troll…_"

"Oh! _The Heir and the Troll_ is among _the most romantic _musicals I ever got to direct, produce, and compose!" Delora sighed dreamily.

"And I can still never put my finger on how you didn't get a single controversy for _Red Sheets' Resistance_!"

"Please, _The Four Bratty Kids' Kids,_ or TBKK, was definitely the worst play!" Delora gagged. "And those idiots ask me why I never reproduced the play on DVD!" Delora threw away all their cups before they could even finish and pushed Audrey up on the stage. "But you're new, Audrey! You _scream _novelty that Macabretown and the rest of the anarchists out there have yet to discover! I want you to tell me things about you, your old life, your dreams, and most importantly, _your love life_!"

Audrey groaned. To think that of all the times she didn't have to think about her problems back in Auradon anymore, she still felt pain at the idea of recalling her failed relationships.

_Inside her heart, Audrey felt rising levels of despondency, a word which here means 'she really did not want to think about her ex-boyfriends, her old rivals, and the new hidden figure trying to slither his way into her life.'_

"What was that?" Audrey turned her head around. "Delora, do the walls talk or is it just me?"

"Nah, it's just Lenny," Beatrice said as she pointed her thumb at the seat next to the one she was sitting at. The girls (except Delora) had been unaware of when a dark-haired boy dressed in gray had shown up in the theater with his typewriter. "The son of Lemony Snicket."

"My scriptwriter and novelization author." Delora snapped her fingers at Lenny. "Keep writing as we go, Lenny. I want to create a new production to release before any Demonic Contract Ceremony occurs any time soon!" Delora went back to Audrey. "Don't be surprised with my acting, I improvise as I learn. Let's see… if you could describe your old family in two words, what would it be?"

"Uh…" Audrey thought about it. "Wealthy… and demanding?"

"Got it." To Audrey's startle, Delora dropped on her knees, tightly clutched onto Audrey's legs, and cried. "WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME? YOU SUFFOCATE ME WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS! IS IT SO HARD FOR YOU TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM?" Delora spun herself off her knees and faced a blue spotlight. "THE PRESSURES OF BEING AN ARISTOCRAT! IS IT SO HARD FOR MY PARENTS, MY SERVANTS, OR EVEN THE STABLE HORSES, THAT I CRAVE FOR ADVENTURE? DO THEY NOT HEAR HOW MY HEART ACHES, LONGING TO TRULY MOVE ON, BE MYSELF, AND BE WITH THE ONE RIGHTFULLY MEANT FOR ME NO MATTER HOW HE SOILS HIS IN-LAWS?" Delora took a deep breath and straightened herself as the spotlight turned off.

"Wow" was all Audrey could say.

"You got this, Lenny?" Delora asked.

_Audrey was an aristocratic girl whose family was very abusive, a word which here means 'they made her miserable because they forced their society's pressures onto her without considering her opinion._

"OK, seriously, why am I hearing this echo over the walls but I don't see him talk?" Audrey exclaimed.

"Unreliable narrating." Beatrice shrugged. She snapped her fingers and a can of worms appeared on her laps.

"OK. Next part." Delora used her bony finger to lift Audrey's chin so human eyes could meet semi-corpse eyes. "In few sentences, describe why you broke up with your ex-boyfriends."

Audrey gulped. "Well… My first boyfriend dumped me after another girl used a love spell on him, they still loved each other even after she removed the spell, I had to witness him proposing to her, and I got brainwashed into evil until they saved me. My second boyfriend was just for rebound and I saw how useless he was to the point that I locked him in a closet. Overall, I dated these guys specifically because my family told me I had to be with someone of my rank."

Delora had a sad expression plastered on her face and gently hugged Audrey. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for…" Delora paused, stared one more time at Audrey, and backed up to squeal and dance. "Oh my bones! You summoned a demon!"

"WHAT?" Audrey shook her head. "I would never!"

"It's Macabretown," Lenny said quietly. "Summoning a demon is like riding a bike on every Tuesday for us."

"I need DETAILS!" Delora shook Audrey. "Who's the demon? What's his function? How did you meet? What is your contract… OH MY BONES! You're from the other side of the mist, so you never had a Demonic Contract Ceremony! I could present the musical about you at your Demonic Contract Ceremony! When is your Demonic Contract Ceremony?"

"Uh… Beatrice, help me out?" Audrey pleaded.

"The DCC is the public version of the deal with the devil in Macabretown." Beatrice stuffed her mouth with worms before continuing to talk. "The contract terms are agreed on privately between the demon and the mortal client and the DCC is when they shake on it in front of a bunch of people, the Fallen Angel himself binds the contract as unbreakable, we feast, we drink, we dance, and we move on to the next festival."

"It's like a demonic wedding, except your validating your contract and not getting hitched!" Delora continued to pace in excitement. "We should totally have Mrs. Deetz organize the ceremony! The first Demonic Contract Ceremony was actually her second attempt at marrying Beetlejuice!"

"I will not have some stupid ceremony with a demon I barely know!" Audrey snapped as she felt the anger boil.

"Barely… know?" Delora exchanged a nervous look with Beatrice. "Oh my bones, you still haven't signed a contract with your demon?"

"Obviously."

"Audrey, that's _terrible!_" Beatrice feigned horror that the others bought so well. "Everybody knows that mortals who summon demons are obliged to create contracts with them! Otherwise, the mortals' souls will be damned to Hell upon death and forced to serve the demons they have failed to diplomatically negotiate with!"

Audrey felt her body paralyze. "He never told me that part… He didn't get into the details of the contract! He just kept talking about how I need him and that I was better as the Queen of Mean!"

"Well the supernatural isn't know to give humanity the simplest effortlessness, a word which here means 'what would be the point of life itself if everything was simple'." Lenny continued talking physically while typing on his typewriter at the same time. His comment made Audrey pause because he was right. What would be the point of life itself if everything was simple? If everything had been so simple, would she have never changed the course of her life and wound up in some marriage with a prince that she wasn't sure she cared for but still went with it because her family had told her so? If everything had been so simple, would she have continued to hate Mal? If everything were so simple, would she have remained as the Queen of the Mean? No wonder the demon's words now implied that if things had been so simple, she'd have practically begged for his help to rid her of her desolate isolation. _What can I say? I prefer shrews over wrenches._ His last words echoed in her head.

"Oh, he's good." Audrey bit her lip and sat down on the boarded stage, with Delora imitating her.

"What?" The semi-corpse asked.

"The demon. Look, promise none of you will say anything to Gothy and Crystal, but I've only spoken to the demon in my nightmares."

"How many times?"

"Two. The first time was after Gothy and I crossed the mist… after I got bit by a Corona bloodhound, and the second time was when Crystal had us sleep over at her place… after we crossed the portal to the Underground and my hair got, well…" Audrey tugged on the braided ponytail Gothy had helped her with this morning. Even after a week of getting dirty, washing, and brushing her hair, the glitter still wouldn't come off.

"And when did you summon him?"

"Last month."

Both Beatrice and Lenny whistled. "WOW," Delora was shocked. "That demon of yours must have some massive patience. You realize that a human month is the equivalent of two years and a half in Hell?"

"You think I had a manual when I randomly burst into song notifying me that bursting into a musical could summon ad demon?" Audrey raised her hands in exasperation.

"Oh, it will be fine. Beatrice tossed her empty can into a trashcan across the room. "You just take your time in figuring out ideas for terms."

"Gee, like what?" Audrey frowned.

"Maybe not the clichéd, over-used 14th century junk?" Lenny kept staring at his typewriter.

"Don't go for stuff like 'I want power,' 'I want you to make this person love me', 'I want to be a millionaire', 'I want to destroy my enemies…'" Beatrice listed.

" 'I want you to revive my loved one from the grave', 'I want to win all the next lotteries'…" Delora joined in.

"I want to be a famous author who writes children's literature with depressing themes about adults' uselessness, society's corruption, and the anguishing misfortune of orphans pursued by villains seeking to steal their fortune," Lenny added.

"OK, I need you to stop imitating your dad. You're creeping me out." Beatrice snapped her fingers and Lenny's typewriter grew legs so it could jump off its own and lead Lenny into a wild chase out of the theater.

A massive grin appeared on Delora. "I can see it now. My next musical masterpiece. I'll call it _My Fallen Angel!_"

"What?" Audrey didn't say that because of the title but because of how Delora quickly went back to using her as inspiration for her next ticket-seller. The blue spotlight appeared again on Delora, only this time the spiders hanging on the ceiling were dropping glitter.

"A story about a young duchess… It seems like her life is ripped off from any fairytale… The basic maiden with beauty above earth that her family wants to control while she wants to have her own adventure… Underneath her mansion's house is a domain between Earth and Hell where a demon resides, a demon she unknowingly summoned in a time of desperation and in need of guidance! Before they can create a contract, he viciously murders the duchess's suitors, one a cheater and one a gold digger, and goes into a serial killing spree where there's no man left in the kingdom to ask for her hand in marriage! Her parents think she's cursed, so they send her to be cleansed in a convent, but the demon whisks her away to his domain, and while doing so, he sees that her beauty… can only be compared to that of a fallen angel on its way down from Heaven! She is like a shooting star from outer space, the golden rain of Zeus that seduced Danae, the rain of fire that plagued Egypt, the sparks that come after the fireworks explode… He is instantly smitten! He begs to create a contract with her, he is _ready to pour all his sinful love for her, such a damned beauty!_ But her useless teachings force her to reject any attempts to deal with this devil! The years go on, and she ages into an old maid, and the demon is so shattered by her renouncing him that he lets himself get stabbed in the heart by a silver dagger and he spends his last minutes crying about how they could have spent eternity loving one another! As he fades away, she dies as well, and their ashes disappear. End scene!" The spotlight turned off and Delora looked at Beatrice and Audrey with excitement while the latter were both speechless. "So what do you think?"

"Um… besides the fact that it looks like a massive hybrid of Victor Hugo's tragic masterpieces, the Phantom of the Opera, ancient mythology, and the typical Shakespeare romance sap? You could actually get this musical translated into 666 different languages and Audrey's demon would never let you present this play in any decent theater in Hell," Beatrice said.

Delora scoffed and crossed her arms. "Oh, the tears that misunderstood artists shed!"

_Minutes later_

It took ten minutes of teatime for Delora to thank them for coming and to promise Audrey great tribute should _My Fallen Angel _become a success. The sun was beginning to set over Macabretown.

"Let's head back to my house," Beatrice sighed.

"Isn't Macabretown doing another night of the Fall Festival?" Audrey asked. They stopped by the traffic light and waited as the pedestrian light was still red. Amusingly, the red pedestrian light kept flashing pictograms of someone smashing a sandworm.

"What's the point of going to the festival I attend every year if you're not even going to come tonight?" Beatrice shot a glance at Audrey. "I know you don't plan on going. You probably don't want to think about the stuff Delora and I said."

Audrey took a deep breath and spoke calmly. "Look, I agree that I… didn't take the whole summoning by accident well. I haven't thought much about it since he and I lost touch during the past week, but you and Delora made it clear that I can't just dodge. So… I'm just going to have to toughen up and be prepared if I finally encounter him. It's not going to be easy and I could be doomed for life, but I'll work on it. If I wanted to chicken out, I should have just stayed back in Auradon. Besides…" Audrey surprised Beatrice with a hug. "For a goofball, you definitely show you care. I know that in your own twisted way, you got my back."

If Audrey hadn't been so happy and confident in her hug, she would have noticed that Beatrice wasn't smiling. For someone who adored chaos, guilt was not something she liked to feel, especially when she knew things that Audrey didn't.

"Um, Audrey?" Beatrice hesitated as Audrey gave her space. "I don't know how to say this, but…"

Just as the red light turned to green, Beatrice landed on the road after Bexley Beauregarde had snuck and punched her on the face.


	15. Diverging Redemption (Roof Version)

Chapter 15: Diverging Redemption (Roof Version)

Audrey had witnessed a lot of things back in Auradon that had brought pain and suffering, but never in her life had she seen somebody get punched on the face. She had seen people who got assaulted while already being jerks to the point that she actually came to agree that Chad Charming deserved to get sprayed on the face by Evie, but she never imagined seeing a decent person like Beatrice getting randomly punched by one of the Four Bratty Kids in a public street. Audrey wasn't happy with the site, especially when she saw Beatrice pulling herself off the ground only to get more punches, this time from Augusta Gloop and N Tina Teevee.

"What is wrong with you?" Audrey tried to pull them off Beatrice but she only managed to push away Augusta. "Leave her alone!"

"Spare your useless magic on someone else." Vincent Salt made his way past her and through his friends who made room for him to face Beatrice. Her face didn't have an inch without purple hues. "I just had enough about the traumatic pranks you threw on me, Deetz!"

"And us!" Augusta pointed out.

"SHUT UP!" Vincent snapped at her as if he were the world's main priority.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Despite her bruised face, Beatrice managed to crack a grin. "Your mommy didn't have enough money to buy you a new ferret coat? Oh, I forgot! Wasn't she mobbed last week by environmentalist hippies?"

"You'll stop laughing when your undead bones are finally crumbled to dust!" Vincent cracked his knuckles. "Those latest pranks of yours specifically targeting me and these three? Talk about ruining our lives! I don't care what's your latest idea of sadistic entertainment is lately, but by the time we're through, _you'll _be the one who's too traumatized!"

"Don't!" Audrey put herself between Beatrice and Vincent the moment she saw the Bratty Kid roll up his fancy sleeves. "She didn't pull those traumatizing pranks on you! I did! Why are you bullying her for it anyway when she hasn't pulled a prank herself in three days?"

"Uh, uh, you're cute but you're still a newbie in Macabretown." N Tina forced Audrey aside. "We may be the Four Bratty Kids of the Bratty Kids, but we aren't total idiots!"

"Everyone knows that Deetz is capable of cheating at a chess game without snapping her fingers," Vincent said. "If she's not the one summoning physical pranks that defy the laws of reality, it's because she manipulated someone else into doing it. _I _figured out that there was no way a foreigner would prank great people like us without being influenced by a toxic being like that hybrid!" He pointed a finger at Beatrice who, to Audrey's surprise, did not hide with a smile her hurt expression.

"Well then why don't you guys hit me as well? I took part in her pranks, so I'm responsible!" Audrey insisted.

"Hey, I wanted to, but my mom says that doing so would label me as xenophobic!" Bexley raised his hand in defense. "And Vincent doesn't want to get a bad reputation."

Audrey scoffed in disgust. "_Bad reputation_? I had every reason to go along with it and you guys are jerks!" Audrey pulled herself off N Tina's grip and pointed at her. "_You _are a know-it-all techno geek who can't even bother to look up social chat rooms and online dating and you let Vincent take all the credit!" She then pointed at Augusta. "_You_ eat ridiculous amount of fats and sugar, I don't even understand why you're still so thin unless you underwent surgery because peer pressure made you think you needed an hourglass figure!"

Augusta rubbed her stomach in embarrassment.

"_You_ are obnoxious and hypocritical!" Audrey then pointed at Bexley. "You claim to be a momma's boy, and yet you still won't tell her about that long-distance boyfriend of yours!"

Bexley rubbed the back of his hair in embarrassment. "She's competitive _and _conservative…"

"Stupidity and dignity, make up your mind! And _you_…" The moment Audrey pointed at Vincent Salt, his so-called friends ran to hide behind a bench across the street as if to shield themselves from a hurricane of angry raccoons. "You wear a landfill that might as well be the last garbage on Earth that even Cruella De Vil herself wouldn't wear and your hideousness in and out actually make my second ex-boyfriend look sympathetic!"

Very few people can detect when they've pushed somebody's button, and the ones who usually don't detect are either oblivious or egotistical. For the smart people who manage to see the signs such as a twitching eye, nails scratching, steaming nostrils, or even growling, know they are in a world of trouble. The Macabretown natives who had the misfortune of being present, however, knew that trouble was rising when they saw Vincent toss off his fur coat and not even caring that it landed into a pile of mud. Even the nearest black cat decided that now was not the best day to cross someone's path and ran its way back to its cat lady.

"Oh shit…" Beatrice cussed.

"VINCENT'S ANGRY! VINCENT'S ANGRY! IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!" Augusta hugged N Tina tightly.

The next minutes were outright chaos. Vincent charged at Audrey and pinned her to the ground, but she folded her legs, kicked him away, and jumped back up. He managed to throw a punch on her cheek and she retaliated by holding on to a lamppost and performing a somersault on him. Vincent's collision caused two innocent newspaper stands to be crushed and further crushed when he threw one of them at Audrey. Keep in note that Audrey didn't use any magic _at all _in this exchange of brute force. Singlehandedly, she had engaged in her first physical fight and it was against a mere mortal whose personality was far worse than her older one.

Vincent's 'friends' ran up the nearest fire escape to avoid Audrey as she ripped off the bolted bench from the sidewalk and threw it at Vincent before the latter went on to throw rocks at her. Beatrice, for her part, stood as far possible as she could without missing the show. She still couldn't believe that Audrey stood up for her against the brats and was singlehandedly putting the gang's leader back in his place… when deep down, Beatrice knew she deserved that punch.

"ENOUGH!"

Before Vincent could get the chance to attempt another attack, he received a cane whack on the stomach and fell on the ground. The moment he turned to lie on his back, the tip of the cane met his neck and threatened to push in. Horrified hatred took over him when he saw the twenty-two-years-old chocolate haired, pale skinned man dressed in a magenta trench coat with blue epaulettes, candy cane striped pants, and brown shoes.

"Not a pleasure to see that calorie-provoking face of yours, Wonka…" Vincent choked in spite.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SPOILED CHILD OPINIONS!" Willywaffle Wonka shouted at the top of his lungs, scaring Vincent Salt to cower in fright and for Bexley, Augusta, and N Tina to fall down the fire escape. The angry boy removed his cane and shoved Vincent to his friends. "GET LOST BEFORE I DECIDE TO GIVE YOU THE SAME TREATMENT MY FATHER GAVE TO YOUR BRATTY PARENTS, ONLY I'D MAKE SURE THAT NOT EVEN THE WORST CANNIBAL COOKS IN THIS TOWN WOULD WANT YOUR REMAINS!"

And to his words, the kids ran away screaming.

Audrey went to Beatrice. "Are you OK?"

"Am I _OK_? AM I OK? Dude, you were awesome!" Beatrice squealed. "Where did you learn to crush people like that?"

"I didn't. The most I've done in sports was cheerleading." Audrey tapped on her head to straighten her messy hair. "Kind of felt good…"

After making sure the brats had run past the horizon, Willywaffle went to express his anger at Beatrice, only he didn't terrify her as he terrified his foes. "What the fudge do you think you just did, Beatrice?"

"Believe me, I'm as confused as your are as to why they attacked me…"

"_Beatrice!_" Willywaffle snapped. "When I said I'd like them off my back, I didn't mean that you ought to get their attention on the eve of my departure! And when I said that I didn't like where this was going, I knew that things weren't going to go well the moment I put my foot out of bed!"

"Hey, give her some slack!" Audrey snapped at him. "She kept her word and didn't pull any pranks! _I _pulled the pranks, _I _should have gotten the trash, and so I should have taken the responsibility! It's not Beatrice's fault if the idiots thought that she was responsible behind all this!"

Willywaffle let out a more exasperated groan. "Wake up and smell the sour chocolate, newbie! Beatrice manipulated you into purposely using your magic to harm Salt, Gloop, Beauregarde, and Teevee because she wanted to make sure that I'd invite her, you, and her squad onto my train ride tomorrow!"

"I know."

Audrey's sincere comment caused both Beatrice and Willywaffle to look at Audrey as if her sentence made her an alien. "You what?" They both said.

"It didn't surprise me. Besides a family of gingerbread countryside cannibals, it became clear that so far the only friends Gothy and I made were con artists. It took _me_ figuring out a loophole wish so Crystal could come with us and the first time I saw that billboard that Mrs. Deetz posted on the outskirts of town made it clear that Beatrice wasn't going to be easy. I saw the evidence when she scammed the twins back at the spa, so I asked Crystal what to expect from Beatrice, and she told me to act dumb because Macabretown folk don't really expect much from foreigners and often try to scam them."

Beatrice's eyeballs fell into her throat. "You… _double-manipulated _me?" She gasped in embarrassment.

"I'm not buying it." Willywaffle shook his head.

"Well Crystal did make it clear that one way or another, Beatrice was going to manipulate things with her parents to soften up her punishment and the better way for her to not do punishments herself while still being mischievous was to find a substitute prankster," Audrey continued. "None of this makes sense, but here's one that does. You know that Crystal and Beatrice always spend minutes together whenever Crystal gets wished to Macabretown, but they hardly spent anytime together since they got here. Don't you think it would have made more chaotic sense if Beatrice asked a professional prankster like Crystal to help? Rather than an amateur like me?"

Beatrice's jaw dropped when Willywaffle actually thought about it. "Well you're not wrong there…"

"And besides, I took _great _pleasure in beating up Vincent Salt."

Willywaffle chuckled. "I actually waited before intervening. I enjoyed the ramble. Have you ever considered becoming a professional wrestler?"

"NO!" Her response shocked them. "Unless it's for emergencies, I'm no longer physically fighting anyone!" Audrey took a sniff of her shirt and grimaced. "Ugh! I need a shower!"

"Let's go home." Beatrice pulled her sleeves down. "Even after the ramble, I still don't feel like going to the festival tonight."

"Wait a minute."

Beatrice turned, expecting a cross remark from Willywaffle, but he gave a small smile instead. "Make sure you guys aren't late tomorrow. My train leaves at 10am sharp."

_Later, at the Deetz house_

Beatrice went through the freezer and pulled out an ice pack for her eye. When Audrey came downstairs after taking a shower, Gothy was not happy.

"Fighting with a local? Are you nuts?" Gothy freaked out. "Audrey, we already got away with Crystal's psychotic dad and some insect-fairy prince by a hair! Do you know what could have happened if someone figured out that you were an Auradonian princess?"

"That waxing has cleaned my slate and Beatrice and I did nothing!" Audrey snatched a glass of blood orange soda that sat at the kitchen table.

"Even if we didn't do anything, it still would have happened…" Beatrice sat roughly on the nearest chair.

"Don't beat yourself up, Beats." Crystal gave Beatrice a gentle punch on the arm. "I envy you. I haven't seen any of the prank carnage since we got here and I missed witnessing Pink Fingers beat the crap out of Vincent Salt!"

"You're missing the point!" Gothy snapped.

"Relax, Gorgeous. We've just got a confirmation. A, Audrey can physically fight so she's not helpless, and B, she did it for a good cause. Besides, she had every right. Vincent Salt is an asshole." Crystal smirked at Audrey. "You actually thought he made your second ex-boyfriend sympathetic?"

"Yep."

"Remind me, it's the same ex-boyfriend who ha smore hair than brains and that you traumatized via closet confinement?"

"Also that."

Crystal grinned further and raised her soda glass. "Cheers to badass Pink Fingers! May she keep roughhousing the idiots that Nature has invented!" Her statement also made Audrey raise her glass. "And thanks to her, we've guaranteed our ticket out of Macabretown!"

"I'm still surprised that your parents didn't fuss about it," Gothy turned to Beatrice. "I mean, you're not exactly the picture of perfect child, but random citizens attacking the mayors' daughter?" Gothy noticed that the latter wasn't listening. "Beatrice?"

"They probably wouldn't be hitting me if I was normal…"

Ironic info about the author is that she grew to _loathe in any possible statement _the concept of 'being normal'. So when Beatrice, the chaotic child, grimly made her statement, it was a miracle that neither Crystal nor Audrey choked in their beverages. It was a miracle that Gothy didn't back away in fright at the sudden lack of enthusiasm Beatrice portrayed. It was a miracle that the Bloody Bambi didn't choke as it continued to choke through the leftovers of the rosebushes. It was a phenomenal miracle that just like that, the girls heard the sounds of a car crashing in, doors bursting open, and the Deetz parents bursting into the kitchen to drag their daughter out.

"You need an hour-long lecture on why you should never be normal, young lady!" Beetlejuice was so enraged that the guests actually saw the steam puffing out of his ears.

"Don't worry, BJ! Hopefully this is just a 30-minute teenager depression that will go away!"

The guests were still speechless after the Deetz parents dragged Beatrice upstairs for a very long conversation.

"Beatrice still won't go to the Fall Festival tonight," Audrey said to break the silence.

"She just needs time to feel less depressed and by the time we come back from the festivities, she'll be her chaotic self again." Crystal shrugged. When she saw that her empty cup was dirty, she summoned a crystal ball to clean it up.

"I still don't see why those brats attacked her physically or why she didn't do anything to fight back." Gothy sat next to Crystal. "Couldn't she just snap her fingers and turn them to beetles?"

"She didn't bother. She already knew they'd be onto her," Audrey said.

"And your last-second story you gave to Wonka about double-manipulating Beatrice? Was that real or phony?" Crystal amused her by juggling her glass and constantly transforming it into different shapes.

"A bit mixed. I already knew she needed me to prank the brats to get onto Willywaffle's good side WITHOUT breaking her promise of no-direct-pranks…" Audrey stared at Crystal. "She's already as much of a trickster and con artist than you are."

"Hey, in our defense, tricking others is a force of nature, not because we decided on our own!" Crystal raised her hand. "You meet a lot of fae, goblins, sorcerers, witches, ghost, demons, and other sort of supernatural chimera sent by nature and regardless if they serve good or evil, they live through the eternal chaos of others. The line that separates tricksters like Beatrice and I is our _semi-humanity._ Her mother is by blood, nature, and soul a human why I was fabricated out of stolen blood in Jareth's lab. Beatrice and I comprehend the line we are on and we do not dare cross it. Our half-sense in humane emotions is what keep us from the abyss of madness while our half-bindings in magic keep us from becoming vortexes of never ending power."

Gothy was confused. "And in English?"

"We half-human, we decent people, but we also half-supernatural, so we have obligations to follow," Crystal mockingly responded.

"Beatrice has her limits… for powers and morality," Audrey gave Gothy the better explanation.

Crystal agreed with her. "I've met a lot of rich folk of high status who either trap their kids in gilded cages or spoil them rotten to the point where the kids act like they can screw all the rules. Beatrice is in the middle. You saw it. Beetlejuice and Lydia outright adore her and give her a happy childhood but they still discipline her when she misbehaves. She loves pranks but has a hard time obeying to no-pranking punishments, so she slithers her way around. She gets a lot of things but she never uses her parents' status on others. She's very sweet and fun to be around, by the townsfolk her age treat her more like the funny friend they don't like having around."

"They can't _all _dislike her that way." Gothy shook her head. "You don't dislike a friend that you still keep around."

"You clearly haven't seen the stone foundation where they keep recluses barricaded from society. Full of people the townsfolk don't want walking around because they're too dangerous even for Macabretown." Crystal grimaced. "I heard she drove Count Olaf nuts last year, he actually thought Carmelita Spats was quieter than Beatrice! And he hates her first name!"

"Wait, why does Beatrice even hang out with criminals in jail? This doesn't make sense! I haven't seen a single cop since we crossed the mist! THIS REALLY IS A WORLD OF ANARCHY!"

Audrey and Crystal could only stare as Gothy ran around the kitchen in a panic.

_Later_

Very much as Beatrice predicted, Audrey declined going to the Fall Festival in order to keep her company. The night had fallen and the macabre-themed fireworks were illuminating the sky as Audrey pushed the trapdoor leading to the roofdeck. She found Beatrice sitting on a cushioned bench and hugging some Frankenstein-version of a Dalmatian plushed toy.

"Made some muffins." Audrey held up the tray of cinnamon and blueberry muffins that were still warm from the oven. Just when she finally got on the deck, Beatrice's arms stretched to catch the tray and gulp down the dozens of muffins as if she were a massive cobra swallowing a nest of rats. A mistake that caused her to choke, cough, and hiccup, releasing muffin-shaped bubbles out of her mouth.

"Thanks… but I don't feel like talking about what happened." Beatrice crunched the tray with her bare hands into a silver ball that she threw into the basketball net that hung on the chimney. Why the Deetz have a basketball court at the same area they ate, Audrey would never know.

"Do you mind me sitting next to you then?" Audrey got her answer when Beatrice cuddled up to give her some room. The cushioned bench was so soft as Audrey sat on it. For the next few seconds, she satisfied Beatrice's silence via observing the distant festivities before finally cutting it.

"My time at Macabretown was really great. I look forward to coming back here once we find Cassandra." Audrey gave a smirk at Beatrice.

"Hm-hm." Beatrice shrugged.

"I mean it. So far, it's the only place I've been to that doesn't outright hate me or tried to kill me. I know it was because of the stench removal, all thanks to you…"

"Your attempt at flattering me isn't helping." Beatrice shook her head.

"Attempt? Manipulating others' feelings isn't my thing, that was my ex's!" Audrey got frustrated. "Manipulation, everyone has done that! My family manipulated me into doing what they wanted, my demon is trying to manipulate me, and nearly everyone I know tried to manipulate me! You manipulated me to get out of Macabretown, I'd be enraged if I were a simpleton, but I'm not! Because despite your ways, I know how really sweet you are…"

That last sentence caught Beatrice off guard. "Me? Sweet?"

"Yes, because you care!" Audrey held Beatrice's trembling hands. "You prank, you lie, you fool, but deep down you know that you care about others, that you want to help them and have friends, but because the only ways you can do things forces people to be suspicious of you."

Beatrice still had trouble taking the frown off her face and keeping the tear from escaping her right eye. "The only 'friends' who tell me that kind of thing are the furthest."

Audrey wiped away the tear from Beatrice's cheek. They continued to stare at the distant, festive lights, probably the only present in the entire town that made it seem like the only star in total darkness.

Audrey: _Back then, nobody cared that I was a soul in despair._

_They did nothing, so I found my way. _

_It isn't easy, but I'm getting my repair._

_They cared less, so I went away. _

Beatrice: _From one bad seed to the other,_

_My half-side makes it harder to connect with another,_

_But you remind me that's the direction._

_I construct my path._

_I control my wrath._

_I follow the new fate in store_

_Until it leads me to the door._

_It's changing, it's my direction._

_My diverging redemption, my diverging redemption,_

_My diverging redemption, my diverging redemption._

Audrey: _This world showed the possibility_

_That greater change is a part of destiny._

_I drowned in the dark, but then I saw the light_

_I ran and learned to continue the fight!_

Beatrice: _From one bad seed to the other_

Audrey: _You're my friend irreplaceable by any other_

Both: _ And you remind me of the direction._

_I write my story's end._

_You'll always be my friend._

_I follow my new fate in store_

_Until it leads me to the door._

_It's evolving, it's my obsession._

_My diverging redemption, my diverging redemption!_

Beatrice: _I never had a friend like you._

Audrey: _You motivate me towards something new._

Both: _I find my new destiny._

_I stick to my family._

_I follow my new fate in store_

_Until it leads me to the door!_

_It's changing, it's my direction!_

_It's evolving, it's my obsession!_

_My diverging redemption, my diverging redemption!_

_My diverging redemption, my diverging redemption!_


	16. All Aboard The Crazy Train

Chapter 16: All Aboard the Crazy Train

The fact that the scent of cinnamon and vanilla, two of the best perfumes in the world, took over the darkness, meant that Audrey was finally some sort of pleasant dream.

She looked down at herself. Thankfully, she wasn't in some kind of blood-covered dress but in a dress variation of her vest. She looked around her and saw that she was in some kind of dream version of the Fall Festival, where everything from the park to the decorations were carved out of glowing spinel gemstones. The party attendants, all shining in their statuesque forms of shining pink material, were laughing and dancing away, completely ignoring Audrey as she moved towards the blue-crystallized version of the gazebo, where a figure was waiting alone.

When Audrey put a foot on the steps, she heard a splashing sound. She looked down and was temporarily alarmed to see the blood pouring down the steps transform into red vines that sprouted lovely magnolia flowers. A hand picked up one of the blooming beauties and tucked it behind Audrey's ears, prompting the latter to lift her head up at the gazebo figure.

He looked familiar. Yes, he looked exactly like the human duality of the demonic portrait that had captivated Audrey back in Lydia's studio. The dork-like mortal that came before his demonic self. Though Audrey found the source of the pouring blood, his stained and cut arms, she was too distracted by his dark chocolate brown eyes. She didn't pay attention to his hands staining hers because she was too charmed by his sudden, gentle kiss on her hand, causing her to feel as if her own blood had boiled to the heat of lava. He was so silent, too mysterious, obviously a dream idealization of someone already dead that Audrey never knew, and Audrey didn't hesitate one bit when the silent but smiling man courteously dragged her around the gazebo in a waltz… Animosity still came to Audrey at the thought of her family, but she still recalled what meeting men like these in dreams…

Her dreamy waltz came to an abrupt stop, however, when a glass-cracking sound took over. Audrey looked away from that enchanting devil and saw that all the partying crystal figures had turned into withered ghouls of shattered glass, cackling and hissing as they mobbed a crying Beatrice Deetz.

"Beatrice!" Audrey pulled herself away and ran down the gazebo steps. The crystal ghouls melted, phasing from burning mineral to a boiling pool of blood. "BEATRICE!" Audrey felt the tears coming down as Beatrice helplessly drowned and Audrey was pulled back up the gazebo. The environment darkened, the gazebo became one of cold stones, and the enchanting man was no longer there. The despising, red-cloaked demon who still kept his features shadowed and only his indifferent smile showing, had reappeared. He was the one who had pulled Audrey away.

"Leave me alone! I got to save Beatrice!" Audrey cried.

"_Save her from what? She's still sleeping in her bedroom_." The demon shrugged.

"But she's drowning in my own nightmare!"

"_That's Macabretown for you. When one person dreams the worst for someone they dislike, it manifests into others' dreams as nightmares. And not a lot of people enjoy the mischievous darling. You just happen to be among the few dozens of people who got their sweet dreams interrupted because Augusta Gloop is currently fantasizing about our favorite hybrid drowning in melted red velvet cake._"

Audrey frowned. Come to think of it, the red liquid surrounding the gazebo did look a lot chunkier than the previous pools of blood she had witnessed in her previous nightmare encounters with her demon. She cautiously bent down and dipped her hand in it; against all sense of reason, she went on to lick her soaked hand and was surprised to see that it did taste like a melted red velvet cake with massive hints of cream flavors. "Wow. As a calories-promoter, Augusta Gloop makes some very weird dreams."

"_You're lucky you never had to witness Vincent Salt's daydream of croquet-playing squirrels chasing Beatrice. When it infiltrated Hannibal Lecter's slumber, it made his nightmares far too insane, even for me."_

"Why are you even here?" Audrey grimaced as the air finally became filthy with lemongrass odors.

"_You know the answer to that._"

"That you only show up to talk to me in some stupid disguise in my nightmares and you're begging to pass a contract." Audrey rolled her eyes. "I get it. It's inevitable, but I'm not in a rush.

"_You have been made aware while in this town that time in Hell works differently than on Earth," _the demon said matter-of-factly.

"Duh. But I also know that I still won't give in easily!"

"_Well somebody has her adrenaline spiked up!_" The demon sounded satisfied. "_How did it feel to punch that pathetic Vincent Salt?"_

"Like he should have backed off when he had the chance. Beatrice is my friend!"

"_Of course she is. She has the natural desire of being social and having friends who appreciate her as she is and not for her status. If I didn't know her so well, I could easily be jealous of that strong friendship bordering on symbolic sisterhood._ _You never show me any positive feelings._"

"Why should I?" Audrey rolled her eyes. "The only times I talk to you, it's when you show up in my nightmares and you act all creepy!"

The demon shrugged and sat down on the steps. Audrey stepped back to make sure she had at least 12 inches of separation from him. "_I should warn you, though. Auradon hasn't totally given up on you. They recently managed to have a bounty hunter infiltrate across the mist. He's currently pacing around the urban cities between your next stop and where Beatrice must take you in the east. He's from the Isle of the Lost._"

"How is that possible?" Audrey frowned. "Only those who never intend to go back can cross the mist."

"_How he did it, I don't know, but he promised he'd bring you back to your ex-family. So take my advice well for once, my Queen of Mean. When you leave this morning, stay as close to your friends. Avoid the overly-sugared treats the hosts give you. STAY away from the boy with grey hair who bears the twin dagger of Gothy Gothel's."_

"Gothy? What does she have to do with it?"

Compared to the way he had ended their previous conversations, the demon's faceless manifestation had disappeared without a trace, leaving Audrey in total darkness and to open her eyes around 5am, in Beatrice's bedroom, with the Bloody Bambi sleeping and acting as Audrey's pillow.

_Later in the morning_

As Beatrice had said previously, only one train left Macabretown every week. When the Deetz parents drove the expanded group to the Macabretown train station, the newcomers had the confirmation. In Audrey's perspective, the train was almost half the length as the highway that led her old castle to Auradon Prep, compiled by more than forty wagons and a locomotive that were each nearly twice as big as Beetlejuice's car. Because the train only left town once a week, there were usually hundreds of passengers boarding it (according to Lydia Deetz), but because of Willywaffle Wonka's important trip, nearly thousands of his family's Oompa-Loompa employees were running around cautiously carrying crates into the dozens of cargo wagons.

It took nearly thirty minutes for the Deetz parents and Beatrice to break up their tearful hug, remind Beatrice how much they loved her, to not forget giving phone calls, and of course the extra food and clothing they had packed for everyone. By the time everyone had boarded, the train was leaving the station.

To Audrey's shock, the small wagons were more expanded on the inside to the point where anybody could have fit a series of hotel. Heck, even the cabins were fancy hotel rooms that could be modified based on the passengers' tastes. Naturally, Willywaffle proved further his 'generosity by letting the girls and the Bloody Bambi stay in his reserved VIP cabin, aka the whole wagon.

"The train is planning on making additional stops in ten other towns before we reach the Troll lands," Willywaffle said as he helped Gothy put the last suitcase in a closet. "I cross my fingers that, at worst, we get there before tomorrow at dawn."

"Wow! It's that far?" Gothy was stunned.

"Well at best, we could get there before midnight if the weather doesn't add on to the numerous train station stops, but you never know with the wild environments that still occupy the areas that aren't big towns or small cities."

Beatrice shuddered. "To think we could reach the desert by dinnertime! Sandworms are known for emerging out of the ground at the time… and the train tracks are literally suspended in midair by pillars that the sandworms can strike at anytime!"

"That, but the train also goes over the Jungle of Jumanji." Crystal flipped through a brochure that was sitting on the coffee table. "I haven't seen that jungle in a while. Do you think we might spot stampeding rhinos or people who eat combustion cakes?"

"Ooh, maybe we'll spot some treasure hunters escaping the temples of El Dorado!" Beatrice stopped shivering and clapped her hands. "Oh, maybe we'll see the ruins of Egypt from the time the plagues struck!"

"Those are further south," Willywaffle said bluntly.

"The Troll lands are part of the Dream Peninsula," Beatrice continued talking to Crystal as if she hadn't heard Willywaffle. "We might be able to spot the Dragon Lands when we get there!"

"My gosh, isn't it the time of year when the entire Peninsula go on into daily festivals and parties?" Crystal finally turned to Willywaffle. "You wouldn't happen to be catering for the biggest fiesta in the Peninsula, would you?"

"It's none of your business!" He snapped and made his way to the corridor. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go stress-baking!"

The girls watched silently as he left and slammed the door. "Stress-baking?" Gothy frowned.

"A lot like stress eating, but instead of eating junk food, he bakes a lot of pastries." Beatrice jumped off the couch and started running up the stairs. "Last one to the pool is a rotten egg!"

"_Oh, no!_" Gothy ran after her. "I will not stink of egg salads because of you!"

"Hurry it up then, Gorgeous!" Crystal tagged along. While the three ran upwards laughing, the Bloody Bambi silently followed Audrey as she walked her way to the room she and the other girls shared. Thanks to the train's weird functions, they could each customize their bed sheets, so Audrey had no difficulty identifying Gothy's crimson red bed. On the bed, Gothy had left her red purse she had brought along and stuffed in her backpack since the beginning of the journey. Definetly a purse sewed out of red patches of silk from the Isle of the Lost with golden lines forming the Sun Flower.

Audrey cautiously looked at the Bloody Bambi. It turned to look at the door, as if to be on the look out. She sighed and immediately unzipped the purse, and the first thing that caught her eye was the shine of a silver dagger, big enough to carry in her hand and with thinly curved ends for the cross-guard. It was very likely that Audrey had seen this dagger before, and after some further thinking, she recognized it from the history books, where among the graphic images of heroes fighting villains, there was the illustration of Mother Gothel stabbing Rapunzel's man with a dagger just like the one that Gothy had hid in her purse.

"Wonder who has the twin dagger," Audrey said to herself as she took a picture of the dagger with her phone before hiding the dagger back where she found it and dashing out of the room with the Bloody Bambi."

_2 hours later_

"So what do we do next?" Beatrice asked once the girls were done with lunch. "I already beat Gothy in pool."

"The conductor said we'd be moving above the jungle," Crystal said. "I want to see the rhinos stampeding. Heck, I'd like to take the whole stampede back home so it can trample all over Jareth, but _I_ don't want to get trampled by angry animal activities."

Audrey looked on as the waiters carried off the dishes. "Willywaffle hasn't stepped out of the kitchen since we left. Shouldn't we check on him?"

"Nah." Beatrice shook his head. "He stress bakes a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if he refuses to come out until we arrive. And he's anti-social."

"But then how the Hell are you two friends?" Gothy frowned.

"It's one of those 'I only tolerate you as my friend because of my history as your grouchy babysitter since I was thirteen' kind of relationships."

The others were so caught up with Beatrice's story about Willywaffle babysitting her, they didn't notice Audrey silently leaving the dining area with the Bloody Bambi. She wasn't sure why, especially after she had witnessed yesterday how condescending he was to Beatrice, but perhaps by recalling her own experience of shutting herself after the Queen of Mean incident, Audrey wanted to make sure that Willywaffle wasn't driving himself into further insanity. They already had the train speakers constantly playing different versions of the song 'Crazy Train'. She found the door to the kitchen and was immediately overwhelmed by a cascade of sugary scents the moment she opened the door. The kitchen, practically as big as the one she had back in Auradon, was almost hidden due to the piles of countless cakes, cupcakes, éclairs, parfaits, shortcakes, muffins, shortcakes, cookies, brioches, breads, brownies, smores, and other pastries she couldn't pronounce. The only things that weren't completely hidden by the mountains of pastries were the heated oven, two shelves of books that didn't hold just cookbooks, and a counter where Willywaffle kept baking. His eyes were surrounded by black areas that made his tiredness very clear as he tossed a dirty bowl of batter into the sink with the other endless piles of dirty dishes and picked out a new bowl.

"If you're here to taunt me that I should take a break, go ask someone else, newbie." Willywaffle coldly said as his eyes were still glued to the eggs he cracked in the bowl.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Spending my time in the kitchens has sharpened my senses the same way the perfume industry has perfected the Grenouille family's sense of smell." He mixed some mint extract into the wet batter. "Nearly everyone smells like a pastry to me, but you smell like a Black Forest cake with an overdose of salt that would be ignored even on the top shelf of a shop and only an exploiter would feast on it due to his immunity against sweet personalities and cravings for individual desolation."

Audrey grimaced at his way of insulting her, he made her own demon's remarks about Audrey sympathetic. From what Audrey had heard about him, he was the son of the anti-hero from the same story where the original Four Bratty Kids led their flaws and egos become eternally traumatized by the anti-hero and his factory, and the Wonka cynicism had apparently worsened in the second generation of chocolatiers. Willywaffle was basically a brightly dressed emo with the hobbies of a manchild and the personality of one's grumpy elderly neighbor. Suddenly she found it to be a miracle that Beatrice hadn't mentally destroyed him if the hybrid was correct about him babysitting Beatrice since he was thirteen.

"I don't suppose you need help cleaning the dishes or doing something about all those pastries." Audrey gestured the invaded sink and, well, the entire kitchen.

"Do what you want. I don't care." Willywaffle shrugged.

Audrey rolled her eyes and summoned a spinel ball in her hand. "_A sink full of mess, Must be spared from such despair, Let's save some distress._" Pink sparkles filled the kitchen and the dishes automatically cleaned themselves in the sink full of bubbly water and put themselves back in their proper cabinets. Audrey stared at Willywaffle but he looked unfazed. He merely continued to finish his batter and pour it in a baking mold.

"Are you serious right now?" Audrey gasped.

"I'm sorry. I don't do standing ovations." He cautiously placed the mold in the oven before slamming the lid shut. Yet he still had the minutes to speak his sentence in pure indifference.

Audrey scoffed. "At this rate, I don't even understand why a violent jerk like Vincent Salt is terrified of an emotionless jerk like you!"

"You got a lot to learn then, newbie." He leaned on the wall. "There's a difference between a school bully and an anti-social recluse. A school bully would contend himself with either giving his victims endless black eyes or have his goons do the work because bullying others gives him a pathetic sense of accomplishment. An anti-social recluse would do better and enjoy the mental trauma as he gave his victims a fate worse than death, especially if the fate was to constantly survive while your body's muscles were constantly ripped from within." He picked up a chocolate cupcake covered in blue frosting and took a big bite out of it. "Vincent Salt and the others are a bunch of school bullies. I'm an anti-social recluse. They like to harass others; I like to watch them suffer in their punishments. I hate them and they hate me. And I dislike a lot of people. I dislike you."

"Why? Because I did the dirty work for Beatrice? Or because I enjoyed beating up Vincent?"

"No. Because you're Sleeping Beauty's daughter."

Bitter shivers went down Audrey's spine. "You don't have the evidence for that."

"Please. Besides that dog bite on your ankle, you clearly don't have the working skin of a commoner. And you already know how I barely even buy Beatrice's manipulative stories. After my chat with her at your first night at the Fall Festival, I did a better bribing on Aromus and Cologna. My proposition of a doubled-lifetime supply of chocolate and Everlasting Gobstoppers was enough for them to spill the beans. And I made sure to give them _very _scented chocolate!"

Audrey could have trembled in fright, but she held her ground. "What will you do about it?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Besides my friends and the twins, the only one who realized I was an Auradonian princess was Marius Bogfae."

This actually caused Willywaffle to be surprised and remove his back from the wall. "Bogfae spared you?"

"He's the one who told Crystal to have Beatrice have the twins extract my Auradonian stench so I'd go undetected. I just had to promise I wouldn't make a U-turn back in Auradon or he'd kill me, but it's not bound to happen. Nobody needs me in Auradon and thanks to the extraction, I no longer care about my ex-family and ex-friends. So we're good!"

"You… are… AN IDIOT!" Willywaffle quickly whacked her on the head. "A high authority and royalty like Marius Bogfae doesn't just _give _a free pass to someone like you! Just being royalty of that land full of fake family-friendly pests would have been enough to have him casually throw you into the crowd and get mauled! Did you even check to see if he hadn't sent his goons to spy on you?"

_Meanwhile, a long distance ahead of the train tracks_

The train tracks that go over the Jungle of Jumanji are known to be elevated at least a hundred feet above the ground on pillars harder than steel that can resist potential damage from the daily rhino stampedes. Unfortunately, Willywaffle Wonka was correct to imagine that Marius Bogfae had sent spies to keep an eye on Audrey. Though he knew she tried to change, the prince still didn't trust her enough. After his closest sidekicks, the goblin twins Kit and Junk, reported to him what they had spied from the group's trip between the Fae Moorways and Macabretown, the prince deduced that just to play it safe, they'd have to 'damage' the trip's easiness. As this is being written down, the twins were done weakening the pillars with Fae blades.

"The stampede should easily bring down the pillars, Your Highness," Kit said.

"Excellent." He said.

"I still don't get why you're doing this. Wouldn't it be easier to just drag the girl to your girlfriend? If she's such a concern, your girlfriend can easily dispose of her," Kit's twin brother Junk asked.

"No. Not until I'm absolutely certain." Marius Bogfae hadn't bought Mal's story about using Maleficent's scepter for petty vengeance. It's not that he didn't believe in potential case scenarios of children imitating the same dumb actions as their parents, but it's the part where Mal claimed to have attempted cursing Sleeping Beauty's daughter and the latter running away. He had immediately connected the dots since the last Auradonian royalty fugitive he had encountered was the blonde girl with the red stag, but he had gone with the game of pretending to know nothing. He had casually asked if the girl was some sort spoiled brunette cheerleader, and he noticed Mal half-lied again because he recalled seeing vague signs of brown roots in the blonde girl's head. And he had noticed how discreetly panicked Queen Leah and King Hubert when he casually mentioned Crystal Maze's new refuge friends and pretended that they were nothing.

Long story short, he was highly convinced that Mal had lied to save the girl's hide because the girl was the one who probably had used the scepter. But he had to make sure his theories were correct by convincing the twins to help him endanger her life. Otherwise, there would be no point in getting into conflict with a potentially powerful demon or dragging a useless corpse to Penna. So he wanted to see what the girl would do if the train would potentially plummet her to her doom.

"And the more times she goes through obstacles and survives, the more you figure out if she used Maleficent's scepter, and if she did, we capture her, Penna kills her and punishes Mal, and we all live happily ever after," Kit concluded after Marius finished summarizing his plan.

"_Exactly_." The prince exchanged a high five with Kit.

"Uh, but what if things go sour?" Junk pointed out. "She's not exactly a pro like your girlfriend in magic. What if she's not capable of surviving the train crash, or worse, she survives and she figures out we're onto her?"

"Willywaffle Wonka is on that train. If the girl hasn't figured it out, he will. And from what you told me, I wouldn't waste his life. His trip to the Troll lands is understandably important, so he'll ensure that they survive." Marius pulled out a invitation envelope from his exoskeleton armor and made sure that the twins could see the glittery seal. "Besides. When they survive, I have something to make them shut up."

_Back on the train_

The winds weren't that strong as Willywaffle, Audrey, and the Bloody Bambi climbed up to the roofdeck platform of their wagon. The humans held on to the fancy railing as they looked down at the massive jungle that spread out for miles. Falling down would definitely guarantee death if it weren't for the roofdeck gravitational functions.

"Fudge!" Willywaffle cussed.

"Maybe we should tell the others?" Audrey suggested.

"Suggest them what? That two goblins who were nowhere in the wagon are lurking somewhere?" Willywaffle widened his eyes in horror. "Why am I rhyming in such rotten timing? THIS ISN'T THE SEUSSIAN LANDS!"

"Will… please reassure me that this is just a small distant avalanche." Audrey begged as she pointed her finger towards the canyon far ahead of them, where a massive dirty-colored cloud moved downward. Unfortunately, Audrey got her own answer when the cloud, though still distant, revealed itself to be the stampeding cloud of thousands of rhinos that moved underneath the train tracks ahead of them… and caused the whole train to shake viciously.

"The pillars must have been damaged!" Willywaffle held on to the railing. Just then, one of Crystal's purple crystal balls bounced out and morphed into the princess, who had to be caught by Audrey before being accidentally blown away.

"We're screwed!" She shouted over the wind. "The rhinos busted the track and I don't think you want to picture the fireworks!"

"I got to find a way to evacuate the Oompa-Loompas!" Willywaffle panicked.

"Oh sure, let's not forget about the other passengers! I'm sure you'll be the next Macabretown citizen of the month!"

"ENOUGH!" Audrey shouted, her eyes glowing pink and her tone being loud enough to shut the other two. "Crystal, you and I are going to get Beatrice and see how we can seal up those tracks! Willywaffle, you and Gothy go see if you can slow down the locomotive!"

Willywaffle and Crystal nodded.

"Great," Audrey calmed down. "We're going off the rails of the crazy train."


	17. Train Tracks Rumble

Chapter 17: Train Tracks Rumble

The Bloody Bambi had managed to carry the three girls and run through the train tracks in less than five minutes until they reached the broken parts. Crystal was the first to cringe at the massive size. The red stag could easily jump over it, but the train would easily plummet.

"OK, so we got about 45 minutes to fix this before the train crashes." Crystal said. "Anyone got a genius idea?"

"What if we tried that Mineral Materializing spell that you mentioned during our lessons?" Audrey suggested. "You said your dad taught you that spell to manipulate the walls of the labyrinth."

"That's not a bad idea." Crystal rolled up her sleeves. "Better you don't help me on this one, Audrey. This is a highly leveled spell that requires a lot of concentration. One false move and it's all the tracks that are going to break!"

"How long did you have to learn this spell?"

"All my life. It's only back in January that I managed to prefect it. Now shut up." Crystal kneeled down on the tracks and held her hands up. The clouds suddenly transformed from cotton white to vein purple colors. Crystal's hair moved wildly despite the lack of wind and her body stiffened like a statue. "_Stone, metal, mineral, follow the desires of I, your royal!_" Just like that, crystal balls started pouring out of her fingertips, coming in contact with the pillars, tracks, and wooden planks. Gluing themselves onto the materials, they started dragging the tracks towards each other like magnets.

"Woah!" Audrey made sure to stay on her feet as the tracks moved due to the magic magnetism.

"If Crystal keeps it, we should be good before the train starts showing up in 40 minutes." Beatrice rechecked to make sure that the train was still many minutes behind them. "We should be good."

And just like that, beating drums louder than the magic magnetism echoed over the jungle.

"Why do I never shut up?" Beatrice groaned as the drumming ended.

"Why are they even this loud? It's a jungle, not a rock concert," Audrey commented.

"It's Jumanji, Audrey!" Beatrice hissed. "Everytime you hear the drums, it means something bad is gonna happen! And the rhinos already passed, so I dare imagine the worst!" And as if to go with perfect timing, the branches of the nearest trees began to shake and break. The girls nearly thought it was an earthquake until a creature stepped out of the green foliage and turned white, revealing its camouflage. Sure enough, the albino creature was able to reach the train tracks' heights. Every inch of its spine was covered in spikes, its black claws sharper than swords, and teeth sharp enough to rip through metal. And sitting on top of its head was some humanoid teenager that looked like a hybrid of its steed and a commando human.

"Great!" Beatrice whined. "Out of all the dangers in the Jumanji jungle, why did I land on the Indominus Rex? And we're nowhere near Jurassic Park! Where's the psychotic mandrill herd when you need them?"

Audrey gulped at the sight of the Indominus Rex. Suddenly, she missed Ricky the Hydra. "So, what's the worst outcome of this?"

"Oh, nothing," Beatrice rolled her eyes. "Except they can totally destroy the tracks, kill me, Crystal, and the Bloody Bambi for sport, and then figure out how to season you as their appetizer for their preferred human-flesh only diet. HOW DOES THAT SOUND TO YOU?"

"And, the unlikely case scenario where they actually leave us alone if we try talking it out?"

"Hey, if you want to join the half-dead club, be my guest!"

Audrey sighed. She had to try anything out. Crystal was still focusing her attention on fixing the track and the train was 30 minutes away. The dinosaur and her rider had to leave ASAP. Audrey gave a gentle pat on the Bloody Bambi's face and dared to stand near the edge so that her eyes had only ten feet of distance from the bloody red eyes and massive toothed-mouth. "So… I know you guys probably don't do this with your food, but could we try to talk things out before you try to eat us as your appetizer?" She bared a forced smile.

Her attempt was rivaled by the laughter of the duo that caused the nearby flocks of flamingos to fly away in fear. "**You actually think verbal stalling is going to distract us?**" The rider's laughter sounded like the machines of a slaughterhouse cutting through an entire herd of future burgers. As she laughed, her albino-scaled spiked tail wagged in unison. "**Best I got to say, the longer you keep those vocal cords bursting, the more they'll make a fancy sauce when you become the dessert instead.**"

"I could, but you know, I was spoiled rotten as a child. I highly doubt great predators like yourself would bother gaining useless calories from spoiled meat." Still, Audrey couldn't keep herself from putting her hand near her neck at the idea of her vocal cords exploding as dessert sauce.

The rider exchanged a humorous glace with the Indominus Rex. "**Looks like we really hit the fancy game.**" She went back to Audrey. "**What's your name, ye who is food who is entertaining but delaying the inevitable?**"

"Audrey. And you, ye… who hunts well but I'd rather not be in her plate?"

"**Indimia Rex.**" She gestured at the Indominus Rex. "**This is my mother. And I am the only known humanoid Indominus Rex you'll ever get to encounter.**"

Audrey's eyes surveyed the mother-daughter. Eventually, she couldn't resist giving an insult. "Hm, yeah, I can imagine. You're probably one of those lab rats freaks, otherwise your mom must have really stained herself during her last night with whatever crazy human thought it was a good idea to make out with a skyscraper slaughterhouse."

Indimia grimaced, baring her teeth in the process, and cracked her knuckles.

"Way to go, genius!" Beatrice mockingly congratulating Audrey while double-checking on Crystal as she barely reached halfway in her spell. "You just turned their hopes of a fancy dinner into a human meat drive-thru bar!"

"**And I'm going to go with the newbie!**" Indimia bounced off her mother's head, holding out her claws as she aimed for Audrey's direction. The Indominus Rex had her share of distraction as the Bloody Bambi transformed itself into a larger version of the appearance it had taken to assault Mal in dragon form. The abomination of a stag pushed the dinosaur further into the jungle with its horns, giving the Jurassic abomination some serious cuts. Audrey was too distracted with evading Indimia that she didn't notice her animal companion's current fashion.

Beatrice had tried manipulating some nearby vines to dangle Indimia in the air, but the hybrid merely cut through them with her claws. Before Beatrice could retaliate, Indimia whacked her with her tail, sending the half-ghost hybrid flying and crashing at Crystal. It broke Crystal's concentration on the spell and the amount of energy she had put drained her out; now the two of them were subdued and dangerously close to the broken ends. One push could either lead to death by crash or by becoming dinosaur food.

Audrey wanted to reach to them and wake them up, but she had her own problems with Indimia. The latter was fast enough to dodge any spinel ball or spell that Audrey aimed at her, and when Audrey tried to fight her physically, she regretted thinking that she could beat her up the same way she had beaten up Vincent Salt. Indimia wasn't some weak human but a hybrid with enough strength to destroy buildings. When she scratched Audrey, the latter felt deeper pain and bleeding than the bloodhound bite. Every punch, slap, whack, and kick she received made her feel like her bones were slowly breaking from the inside.

"**You are pathetic**," Indimia said. "**I see now what you are. You're nothing but an Auradonian refugee. I hate Auradonians.**"

"You're not… the only one." Audrey groaned.

"**No. But I know what Auradonian flesh tastes like. You're all self-entitled brats, thinking you could claim any land that wasn't yours. You all had no problem ripping people from their homes, menacing families to split apart, and murdering babies! You're all the same and I hate you for it.**"

"Auradon is no longer my home…"

"**Denying your original home is denying your unchangeable flaws.**" Indimia stared at the injured Audrey with a disgusted sneer. "**Devouring you wouldn't even be worth it. I'd rather take one killing bite and leave your carcass to the local carnivores than poison myself with your spoiled flesh. At this rate, Beatrice Deetz and the Goblin Princess might make a better meal.**"

And the anger within Audrey intensified.

The train tracks started to shake violently and it wasn't from the Bloody Bambi beating up the Indominus Rex into surrender. The shaking was loud enough for Beatrice and Crystal to wake and get up. Not only were the tracks agitating, but every single mineral was materializing in a massive amount.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Crystal shouted as the tracks filed up the hole but were agitating into spikes, squares, and worse, impaling sticks. Beatrice, being half-ghost, was able to lift up Crystal into the air.

Then they saw Indimia getting a taste of her medicine with Audrey using a massive amount of magic. But Crystal and Beatrice knew something was wrong. Audrey didn't look like herself. Somehow, the blonde and self-aware Pink Fingers they cared about was replaced by a wild pink and pale blue streaked she-demon whose dripping bloods were forming a very red, dangerous looking attire. Audrey's eyes were glowing pink to the point where no whites could be seen. Her fingernails were darker and throwing endless spells at the tracks to attack at Indimia. The latter got cut by many enchanted spikes and nearly met her doom when she tripped and the transformed Audrey made her motive very clear when she ripped off of a piece of metal and transformed it into a sword.

"Audrey, don't!" Beatrice begged. "It's not worth it!"

Beatrice's words distracted Audrey long enough for Indimia to make a run for it. And Crystal and Beatrice didn't have enough time to warn Audrey about the upcoming train.

_Meanwhile_

Marius Bogfae and the twins had been spying on their sabotage from a safely distanced hill. To say that they were utterly shocked at the blonde girl's super-transformation was one thing, but their reaction when they saw her getting hit by the train?

"Oh shit…" Marius choked.

"They survived the crash, but the girl's probably dead." Kit said. "Fantastic theory of yours, your Highness?"

"Hold on." Junk was still observing from the binoculars. "Wonka must have shoved one of his pastries into the train's engines to slow it down. It just stopped."

"What are they doing now?" Marius asked.

"He and some dark-haired just came out. They're bringing the blonde one in… and the Deetz kid has harnessed the red stag to the train…"

"So what? He's the reindeer to Santa's toy train?" Kit asked sarcastically. She got her response when, in the distance, the Bloody Bambi ran and pulled the train into the tunnel ahead of the tracks. "Never mind."

"You think she survived, Your Highness?" Junk asked the prince.

"A mere mortal couldn't survive it. She has magic, so the worse case scenario is that she came out with some broken bones. However, a cut from an Indominus Rex can lead to infection. I lost track of how many she received. One thing is certain, depending on how many cuts she got, especially with that transformation of hers and the train impact, her magic might try to fight off the infection and she could get very ill. Without the proper treatment, she could die. She'd need the necessary healing before I can figure out if she used Maleficent's scepter or if she's just a threat that I need to dispose of."

"Should we sneak into the train to provide medication?" Junk asked.

"Yeah, and why not reveal our status as spies?" Kit spoke sarcastically. "You never think!"

"Kit's right. The best we can do for the moment is ensure that nothing else goes wrong as the train goes to the Troll lands. Once there, the Trolls will be able to cure off the infections. And since we need to go there, I can continue the next phase."

_Back in Auradon_

It had taken a couple a couple days, but Evie finally managed to reveal her big idea to the group. At the conference room, she undraped the item that, with permission, she had taken from the museum and resized.

"Your magic mirror?" Mal asked.

"I don't see why not," Evie shrugged. "If it could tell my mother where Snow White was, it could tell us where Audrey is."

"You're certain it will work?" Queen Aurora looked desperate.

"Fairy Godmother and I had it resized so that it's no longer mirror in the hand but mirror on the wall. Hopefully he won't be as lippy as he was with my mom." Evie clasped her hands and faced the mirror. She didn't even bother to recheck her makeup. "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, how are you doing after all?"

"_Finally! Somebody who starts a decent conversation with me!_" The green face of the mirror rolled his empty eye sockets. "_Do you have any idea how annoying your mother was? Always a 'who's the fairest of them all' this or 'who's the fairest of them all' that! And she never asks me if I'm doing well! She never even bothered to have me repaired while I was stuck in her pocket! That's seven years of bad luck for her! At least YOU didn't constantly nag me with questions about your vanity! Thank god there's such a thing as humble feminism!"_

"Uh… thanks." Evie glanced at the others, who just looked speechless. "I was wondering if you could show me where our friend Audrey is. You know, Sleeping Beauty's daughter?"

"_Even if you asked me in a rhyming question where she was, I can't locate her with my magic._" The green face shook its head.

"What do you mean? Is she dead?"

Aurora and her mother looked like they wanted to sob.

"_She's not dead. My magic can only determine that she's still living, but something has changed. Your friend must have done something to herself so that my magic no longer recognizes her as the Auradonian she was. In a way, it's as if Princess Audrey has disappeared and a new Audrey has moved on, permanently detached from her home. I cannot trace someone I don't know._"

Evie thought of something. "Audrey left with Gothy Gothel. Do you think that if you can locate Gothy Gothel, you can show us where she and Audrey are?"

"_I'm seeing something… Yes, I see Gothy Gothel. They are moving further east, where the Auradon Wall is many lands away. Let me show you what I see._" The green face disappeared and the glass turned green. Then, a visual appeared. They immediately saw Gothy's face. She looked like she was in a frantic state and they got their answer when the mirror zoomed out to reveal that she was in some sort of train cabin, looking in anguish as an unconscious Audrey was being tended to by some candy-themed young man. Two teenage girls looked miserably at the scene.

"_Well?_" Gothy's demanding voice spoke up through the static.

"_Hey, give me some slack!"_ The young man snapped as he finished wrapping Audrey's right arm with bandages. "_OK, done._"

"_So what's the verdict?_"

"_I'll have you know that just because I know a few Oompa-Loompa healing creams DOES NOT MAKE ME A LICENSED MEDIC!" _The young man snapped. "_So save me your criticism! You're the one who accidentally broke the brake!_"

"_And you thought it was a genius idea to throw caramelized chocolate in the engine!_"

"_Is Audrey going to be OK?_" The youngest of the teenagers, some gothic carnival girl, looked rather guilty as Audrey seemed to struggle in her unconsciousness. Through her bandages, small pink auras could be seen.

"_I really can't tell you, Beatrice._" The young man shook his head solemnly. "_The best case scenario is that she isn't dead. Her magic's still fighting off the internal infections of Indimia Rex's strikes. My lotions will work on disinfecting the external parts._"

"_W… What's the worst case scenario?_" The small Beatrice bit her lip. Some of the witnesses actually bit back the tears as the watched the whole thing on the mirror.

"_Well… one scratch of that dinosaur would have killed a mere human. Audrey took in a countless amount of hits. Her magic is taking a lot of energy to self-heal and a lot of energy was wasted when she transformed. The worst I can say is that by tomorrow morning, she'll have a very bad fever, and if we don't reach the Troll lands at least before lunch… well, you know what exorcism looks like, right?_"

Beatrice coiled in a nearby chair, shuddering in horror. "_Let's not get all unraveled!_" The other teenager said dismissively. "_The Bloody Bambi's pulling the train faster than it took Jareth to understand that Sarah never liked him._"

"_Your dad never got over her. Audrey said you practically wasted 3 minutes of singing how he never got over it!_" Gothy said.

"_Exactly! Jareth never got over it, but the Bloody Bambi is a whole lot faster in acknowledgement! I say, he'll have the train arrive at the Troll lands by 9am tomorrow at most._"

"_I doubt that Audrey's deranged animal sidekick could get there before noon_," the young man shook his head. "_I'll gladly bet it, and if you lose, you shut up for the entirety of the trip until you guys get as far away as possible from me."_

"_Sure. But if I win, I get a lifetime supply of candy AND you and I exchanged thirteen goblins for thirteen Oompa-Loompas!"_

The young man looked horrified. "_I'd rather die than have my poor Oompa-Loompas drown in that filthy bog of yours!_"

"_Why do you think we call it the Bog of Eternal Stench?_"

"_Why can you not grasp the concept of Wonka sarcasm and that I was not insulting your bog, but your entire kingdom?_" And just like that, the visual of the two strangers bickering, Gothy being further exasperated, and Beatrice constantly looking at the unconscious Audrey, vanished on the magic mirror's glass.

"So…" Evie broke the uneasy silence. "Bad news, Audrey's hurt. Medium news, she's being taken care off by strangers who argue like sitcom actors. Good news, Gothy still has her mind straight."

"I should be very grateful for Gothy and that little girl Beatrice…" Leah sighed gratefully while her daughter stroked her hand. "They're taking such good care of her."

"Things are not going well…" Mal shook her head. "Audrey and Gothy are too far from Auradon, we have no idea where Charles is out there, I don't know how long I can keep up the lie until Penna realizes that I lied to her and Audrey's sauntering around her turf, and to boot it all, Audrey could die tomorrow! And to think that the best hope she has to reach a medic is with that demonic stag!"

"Yeah, speaking of demonic, where's Hades?" Jay asked.

"He's taking round trips around Hell to see if he can identify Audrey's demon," Mal explained.

"But… there must be around a million sinners in Hell!" Leah exclaimed. "And a day in Auradon is like a month down there!"

"He makes sure to only spend 6 human hours in Hell per day. For the citizens of Hell, it's like he only comes for one day on monthly visits. He's trying to go as quickly as he can to discreetly find out who the demon is, but so far he has no luck."

"Why would he need to be discreet?" Ben asked.

"After I told Dad what Charles had told us, he said that a human who has summoned a demon but who has yet to perform a contract is like an aging cheese waiting to be devoured by rats. If he just said it out there that a human princess had summoned but still not performed a contract with a demon, other demons could try to steal his place and trick Audrey into a contract. She'd be put into bigger trouble than she is now."

"So… either avoid the impossible and become the demon's servant after death, or be conned into a contract worse than anything by another demon." Ben grimaced.

"Or just go through with it and do a contract with the demon…"

"_Or give her a phone call,_" the magic mirror suggested. "_Ironically, I picked up Audrey's cellphone signal. It's still in her bag._"

Everyone stared at Leah as she grabbed her phone and started dialing.

_Back on the train _

The group jumped in fright when a phone beeping startled them, and thanks to a bump in the tracks, Audrey's bag accidentally opened up and a vibrating pink phone slid on the floor.

"Ah! Audrey's grandmother!" Gothy panicked when she saw the picture of the one calling.

"Wow. With a face like that, I can understand why Audrey was so intimidated!" Beatrice whistled as she picked up the phone.

"Don't answer it!" Willywaffle cringed. "It's banned to communicate with Auradon! We could get in trouble! WHY ON EARTH IS THERE INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY WITH AURADON?"

"I ask the same thing about why French chargers are so different from American chargers." Crystal rolled her eyes.

"Relax! I'll mock her grandmother on the phone, I'll go shred the device at the disposal wagon, and I'll buy Audrey a new one at the gift shop wagon! Easy peasy!" Beatrice hit the answer button and put the call on speaker. "Hello?"

"_A… Audrey? Is it you?_" The old woman spoke through the phone.

"Sorry, we don't give senior priority in health insurance for those who are exorcists or who survived the bubonic plague! Make sure to increase your plastic surgeons' hourly rates!" And just like that, Beatrice hung up. "Voilà!

Crystal and Willywaffle applauded. "Neat job, Bea!" Crystal whistled.

"I agree. Now go burn off that phone!" Willywaffle pointed at the door.

"I definitely think I can get Audrey a duplicate of that phone…" Beatrice whistled her way out of the cabin. The others were too busy continuing to talk that they didn't notice Beatrice snapping herself from the corridor to the wagon's pool. Her fingers became pixelated as she hacked the phone, transforming it into a black-and-white phone of her liking and with entire access to Audrey's phone's content. She managed to find the number of the grandmother and dialed it.

"_Audrey? Please tell me it's you!_" The grandmother begged.

"Don't you think you've done enough?" Beatrice asked coldly. "Audrey doesn't need you people to suffocate her again!"

"_Suffocate? No, you don't understand! We're worried about her! We fear something bad will happen to her!_"

"Gee, I wonder why," Beatrice retorted drily. "You know, I hope you aren't using some sort of technology or magic to spy on your granddaughter, because I'd have to report to some particular experts that Auradonian monarchs are harassing refugees and spying on us. I should warn, the monarchs in our side of the wall would be beyond enraged if they start thinking that Auradon is trying to steal their lands again. Spy on Audrey again, and I will tell on you!"

"_You must understand… I'm sorry, what's your name?_"

"Beatrice Deetz. Then again, you and the other monarchs should know my dad very well. Say his name three times and he'll remind you why he's the ghost with the most. Say MY name three times, and you'll figure out why I'm very much my daddy's girl." Beatrice's hold on the phone tightened again. "I'll be clear one last time. Audrey _chose _to come here. She _chose _to be her own person and find her own life. She has _better _friends who actually take care of her while you guys left her in the dust when she could solve your pathetic problems. She's the best person I've ever met in the world and twice she got injured protecting me from some assholes! So unless you want me to appear in Auradon to screw your eyeballs out and stick them in your mouth, leave her alone!"

And to that, Beatrice hung up the phone and shoved it inside her shirt.

_Back in Auradon_

Leah's eyes were still wide open from the call she had just gotten. At this rate, she probably shouldn't have put it on speaker for everyone to hear.

"Charming friend," Mal said sarcastically. "Now what?"


	18. Anti-Family Rumble and the Troll Lands

Chapter 18: Anti-Family Rumble and the Troll Lands

This had to be among the worst nights Beatrice ever endured. All-nighters were second nature to her, but thanks to the rumble with the family of psycho albino dino weirdoes, Beatrice had to pull an all-nighter just to make sure the train wouldn't be attacked again. By the time dawn hit, her makeup barely hid the bags under her eyes. And to boot it all, Willywaffle's predictions had proven accurate. At the first light on dawn, probably somewhere around 7am, they saw that Audrey had in fact struck a high fever. She didn't sweat or struggle like most sick humans do, but due to her magic struggling to battle the infections from within, Audrey couldn't be awoken by force.

"C'mon, Audrey!" Gothy tried to shake her awake. It didn't work.

Willywaffle checked outside the window. The jungle was now distances away, they had passed the towns on the way, and the passage through the desert had worn out Crystal and Beatrice due to the unexpected presence of sandworms. He managed to recognize the forest-filled hills they were approaching. "We're approaching the Troll lands." He grimaced. Guess I owe you a lifetime supply of candy and thirteen Oompa-Loompas, Crystal."

"Keep your stuff." Crystal yawned. "But I'd kill for a Hot Wonka Mocha right about now…"

"I just want to go to the Troll lands, fix Audrey… and take a nap…" Beatrice was also tired. Her eyes nearly dozed off but were awakened by the brutal shaking that went over their wagon. The sounds of the locomotive sounded vicious before hitting an alarming stop that caused the entire train to stop.

"What just happened?" Gothy struggled to keep herself on her feet.

"Hopefully not the Indominus Rex and her offspring seeking revenge, because Audrey's an easy breakfast!" Beatrice panicked.

"This doesn't make sense! The Bloody Bambi is pulling the train!" Crystal shook her head.

The beast proved her otherwise as it burst the cabin door open with its antlers, urging with its head to follow it.

_Minutes later_

This was a disaster. The locomotive's engines were already damaged from the caramelized chocolate, and now some outer source had caused the cables to overheat. And to add insult to injury, dozens of the train wheels had been severely dented. Willywaffle didn't hesitate and ordered his Oompa-Loompas to escort the other passengers out of the train; they were lucky enough for the train to have stopped by a field next to a staircase leading to the other side of a hill where the station actually was, but the field was located dangerously close to a cliff that dropped immediately towards the sapphire blue waters of the peninsula.

"You think it was leftover debris from the jungle attack?" Crystal asked Beatrice.

"Unlikely. Audrey used nearly every atom to rebuild that bridge just to punch Indimia's guts out." Beatrice shook her head. "And these wheels are made of serious metal. It's the same kind they used for Edward Scissorhands." Sure enough, the damages on the wheels looked like someone was capable of denting them deeply enough to destabilize them.

"I have a bad feeling…" Gothy muttered.

"You're telling me! Audrey's still knocked out in the cabin! How the heck are we going to bring her to a doctor?"

"Well Gothy already tied her onto the Bloody Bambi after they crossed the mist and Audrey had that bloodhound bite…"

"Shut up." Gothy pondered. "This is déjà vu. Somebody sabotaged the wheels…"

"Rather obvious, Captain Gorgeous." Crystal rolled her eyes.

"No." Gothy shook her head. "I mean it's déjà vu because I recognize this method of sabotage…" Gothy stood quiet for a moment. She slowly reached for her purse, pulled out her dagger, and threw it behind her. Sure enough, it stuck onto the top of a wagon, near a hatch that led directly to the corridor leading to Audrey's cabin, and somebody was near the hatch. The person immediately dodged it and ran up the wagons. Gothy climbed up and snatched her dagger. Crystal raised her hands to create a crystal ball…

"Don't!" Gothy warned her.

"Why?" Crystal shouted.

"Get back!" Willywaffle shoved the girls aside when he saw the figure throwing blades at their direction. They managed to land safely on the grass, but Willywaffle's right arm was scratched by the two grey blades that had struck him. Their strange metal shined under the sunlight.

"Iron and silver…" Crystal backed Beatrice behind her. "Watch out, Bea. Those metals can affect our powers."

The figure ran towards Gothy, who managed to hold back his attack by having her dagger collide with his. She managed to shove him off the wagon, but he managed to perform a somersault and land on his feet. Thanks to his movement, the dark-colored hoodie fell off his head, revealing the gray locks of hair, pale skin, and unusual purple eyes, and with the proper lighting coming the sun, his shining blade turned out to be the twin of Gothy's dagger.

"Oh, you have _got to be kidding me!_" Crystal exclaimed. "_That's _your little brother?"

"Little brother?" Beatrice and Willywaffle both exclaimed in shock due to being among the last ones updated on the shock news of the decade.

"Charles…" Gothy said viciously. "Why am I not surprised that you came here?"

"Instincts based on natural animosity?" Charles suggested.

"Drop your French comedy, you creep of nature!" Gothy pointed her dagger at him. "We have no reason of seeing one another and there was no way you'd ditch an idyllic escape from your father to Auradon! Why did you sabotage the train?"

"Why else, _grande soeur_?" Charles coldly called her by the French term for 'big sister'. "I'm here to drag Audrey back to Auradon."

"You can't do that!" Beatrice protested.

"Beatrice is right!" Willywaffle nodded. "If you crossed the mist, that's it. Those who left Auradon never go back!"

"I know." Charles shrugged. "But… I guess the mist's creator didn't take into account that as a half-breed sorceress who created the mist, she made it that only half-breeds with magical heritage could come and go through the mist and drag along someone they invite." He sneered at Gothy. "Ironic how fate worked out for us, didn't it, _grande soeur_? You got Mother Gothel's looks, I got her ancient heritage of gypsy magic and whatever leftovers she had of the Sunflower."

"I'll shove you off this cliff!" Gothy got angry as her grip tightened on her blade. Charles didn't hesitate to hold out his hand and trapping Gothy in a ring of fire. Crystal tossed her crystal balls at him, but he managed to bat them away into disintegration with his dagger. She tossed a crystal ball at the ground, causing rock spikes to emerge and aim at Charles, but once again, he threw his special throwing blades at the enchanted rocks, causing them to crumble. She tried casting a spell to surround him with stonewalls, but he managed to his purple-colored fire to heat up the stones into glass and shatter them with his dagger. The teenager was probably scrawny, but he fought like a professional, undeterred bounty hunter.

Willywaffle struck his cane to the ground. It was rather unexplainable because no one has ever managed to explain if it was magic or pure molecular manipulation, but striking his cane on the ground caused the dirt to transform into liquid caramel. Charles probably wasted one minute struggling to pull himself out until he hardened the caramel with his purple fire and kicked his way out.

"Oh come on!" Crystal exclaimed. Willywaffle took the initiative of using his cane to hose down the fire ring with a shower hot chocolate. Gothy immediately charged at Charles and both half-siblings managed to counterattack with their daggers. Crystal tried to throw another crystal ball at Charles, but he managed to grab Gothy and throw her at Crystal. Charles made a run for the train, but Willywaffle struck him on the face with his cane. Charles was undeterred, but he was really convinced to engage in a duel with the young adult as he clicked the topper of his cane and a sharp blade carved out of rainbow-colored gemstones popped from the tip.

"Give your best shot, Pencil Hair!" Willywaffle shouted. "Your toys won't affect my blade of Troll gemstones and whatever spell you cast will only charge them!"

"You forget who I am, Calorie-Seller!" Charles told back at Willywaffle. "I can fight without my magic! I spent most of my life only relying on my blades and I still keep using them ever since I got my powers many months ago! I am not a self-corrupted fanatic or a vanity-obsessed narcissist like those who gave birth to and neglected me! I'm my own being! _Je suis Charles Luther Frollo!_" While the two boys engaged in the equivalent of a fencing duel, Gothy and Crystal came back to their senses.

"I don't believe it!" Crystal panted.

"You're telling me!" Gothy raised her hands. "His middle name is Luther! Frollo probably did that to mock Mother Gothel!"

"Yes, the middle name's horrible, but what the Hell is wrong with your half-brother?" Crystal panicked. "He's like an unstoppable one-man army!"

"I know! But that's what happens when the two most manipulative parents reproduce by accident! Take off Mother Gothel's vanity, Frollo's perverted, genocidal, and fanatical insanity, and their other flaws, and you get this creepy teenager who is properly paranoid, always carrying blades in case something unholy will come after him, and can figure out anything using his own brain! Back on the Isle of the Lost, he could resist bullies and track out in less than a minute if somebody stole his pocket money! And when he got his gypsy magic… he excelled at it like a pro!"

"You don't think Audrey's family paid for him to bring Audrey back home, do you?"

"If I remember well, their family's a bit French. Knowing Frollo's record, it would be an embarrassment if they had to hire the son of one the biggest French psychos to track down their troubled princess… So no. And Charles not known for his monetary greediness!"

"Any weaknesses?"

"You'd think I know!"

Crystal turned her head and freaked out. "Speaking of weaknesses, where's Beatrice?"

Gothy quickly scanned the area. Then she realized that with the boys' focused dueling, Charles couldn't notice that Beatrice was guiding the Bloody Bambi away from the train and taking the direction of the staircase. Audrey, still unconscious and struck by her fever, was wrapped by a bed sheet like a burrito, tied on top of the Bloody Bambi and shielded by the tied-up luggage that the Bloody Bambi managed to carry with ease. It almost looked like a turtle from Gothy and Crystal's point of view.

"I love that brat!" Gothy whispered.

"Now would be a good time to shove your brother off the cliff!" Crystal made a move and threw a crystal ball at the grey-haired boy, but somehow, despite how caught up he was with dueling Willywaffle, the crystal ball just disintegrated into purple ashes.

"Hey!" Willywaffle noticed what just happened. "You said you'd fight without magic! That's cheating!"

"I said I wouldn't use magic to duel _you_!" Charles pointed out. "I never said I wouldn't cast a protection spell to protect my grey-haired hide from a magical sneak attack whole dueling you!"

"UGH!" Crystal was furious. "WHY WAS THIS GUY EVEN BORN?"

"I already told you!" Gothy shouted back.

And somehow, while they were arguing, Charles went for the most clichéd method of self-defense and kicked Willywaffle where it hurt. While Willywaffle was covering his hit areas, Charles noticed something reflecting on his blade. It wasn't the sunlight, but it was the sneaking-away party getting dangerously close to the staircase that alarmed him. He threw his blades at the hill, somehow making them create a landslide that blocked them from the staircase.

"Hand her over now!" Charles sounded particularly angry that he wasted time due to a distraction.

"Bring it!" Beatrice morphed her hands into giant axes.

"If anyone has a genius idea, now would be a great time!" Willywaffle groaned as he struggled to get up.

"Charles is impossible! It would be a miracle to…" Gothy then got an idea. "Crystal, you can grant wishes! You think I could wish for you to get rid of Charles?"

"Wishes don't exactly come for free…"

"How about a date?"

Crystal blushed in delight. "Go for it!"

"Crystal Maze, I wish some strange force of nature would snatch Charles and fly him as far away from the Troll lands as possible!"

Crystal Maze nodded and snapped her fingers. Just when Charles was preparing to throw his blades at Beatrice, a flying creature flew in out of nowhere, grabbed Charles with its talons, and carried him far into the southeast. Charles' cussing in French could still be heard until the silence took over.

"Uh… I didn't summon a flying gargoyle." Crystal frowned, but the others looked like they could care less. Charles Frollo had been taken care of and that was that.

"Can we go now?" Beatrice asked impatiently. "Audrey needs a medic!"

_Later…_

"_Audrey?"_

Audrey felt her eyes struggling to open.

"_Audrey? Woo-ooh!"_

Her eyes finally managed to pop open. She was resting on a bed in some kind of clinic room with purple-painted walls. By the time she could see things properly, she saw that her friends were surrounding her.

"Ugh… what happened?" Audrey groaned.

"Your injuries from the fight with Indimia Rex put in a very sick state. Your magic did most of the outer self-healing, but struggling to heal the inside put you in a feverish coma," Crystal explained. "You were out for a day, we arrived at the Troll lands, and we're currently at the clinic of the Western Station."

"I knew the Trolls' remedies would be effective," Willywaffle said. "You were too woozy to pay attention, but they managed to cure your fever and injuries with one of their grinded gemstone potions. You've been napping for an hour."

Audrey sat up on the bed but she still felt massive pain. "Why do I feel like nearly every tissue in me is breaking?" She groaned. The Bloody Bambi walked over and gave her licks on the back of her hand. She responded by affectionately caressing it.

"I never said the Trolls' remedy wouldn't be painful." Willywaffle rolled his eyes. "Then again, what modern medicine isn't painful?"

Beatrice gave Audrey a glass of water. Despite her throat not being Audrey, thirst was overwhelming and Audrey drank it all in one gulp. "I'm really sorry, Audrey," Beatrice spoke up. "I couldn't help you when Indimia attacked…" Fortunately, Audrey managed to silence her with a hug. It didn't stop the waterworks coming from Beatrice.

"How do you feel mentally?" Crystal asked Audrey once the hug was over.

"Like I screwed up big time…" Audrey bit her lip. "What exactly did I do before the train hit me?"

While Willywaffle and Gothy grimaced at their responsibility with the train, Crystal struggled with the words. "You… might have… totally gone Super-Audrey on Indimia…"

"And if I hadn't shouted, you would have killed Indimia." Beatrice lowered her head. "And because I caught your attention, Indimia and her mom ran away and you got hit by the train."

Audrey's eyes twitched as she processed their words. "Please tell me that my hair wasn't completely pink…" She begged.

"Yeah, cupcake frosting pink isn't really a good color for you, but you were terrifying. Why?"

"I don't believe this!" Audrey dropped herself on her pillow. "I turned into the Queen of Mean, again!"

"Uh, recap a bit because we didn't witness the prequel," Willywaffle pointed out.

Audrey stared at Gothy, silently asking her to fill him in. Gothy nodded and proceeded: "Back in the Land-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named, Audrey had… a problem that really stung, she wasn't exactly getting the support she needed, so she didn't hesitate to join me on my quest to find my sister."

"Long story short, her family told her she had to be with this guy because it would boost her family's status, thanks to Granny she grew up to be spoiled and vain, then the guy dumped her for the daughter of the lady who hated her parents, she lost her popularity, then her ex proposed to her rival, her grandmother made her feel like shit, and a magic stick corrupted her into a psycho who nearly destroyed the land, her rival knocked her back to her senses, she nearly died in her sleep, and after she was saved, nearly everyone grew to hate her, and here we are." Crystal summarized just like that.

"WHY did I turn into the Queen of Mean?" Audrey panicked. "I thought I moved on after the coaching, the scent extraction, and the entire road trip!"

"I _did _tell you on your first day of magic lessons that emotions have an impact on magic!" Crystal pointed out. "Your guilt as the Queen of Mean prevented you from concentrating until you moved on, but because you were dealing with massive levels of anger, rejection, hatred, and anger and it lured you to the magic stick, your powers must now associate negative feelings with nuclear-level magic outbursts!"

"But I didn't go psycho when I beat the guts out of Vincent Salt!" Audrey protested.

"To be fair, on the levels of murdering capacity, Vincent's more of a playground bully where murder is a genuine accident. Indimia Rex? Scale 12 for humanitarian diet and sport-hunting with other dinosaurs." Willywaffle calmly stared at the girls. "Beatrice is half-ghost. She can endure a mere black eye, but Indimia Rex could have made sure that Beatrice's human-half had a one-way ticket to her new home in Hell."

"And she made it sound like it would entertain her…" Audrey realized. "No wonder I was enraged…" She shook her head. "I don't want to keep talking about this. What's next in the agenda?"

"The Troll lands had the train complications due to turf wars in the east, but a train should be available this Friday to take us straight to the Seussian lands in less than a day." Beatrice gestured her hands at Gothy, Crystal, Audrey, the Bloody Bambi, and herself.

"I called my acquaintances in the Troll lands," Willywaffle added. "They're fine with letting you stay at their place until you 5 leave."

"Considering the reasons of your visit, they must be _super _generous!" Beatrice snickered.

"Shut up!"

_Minutes later _

After soaking her face and getting back in her clothes, Audrey followed the others as they headed to the terminal. She clutched on to her cloak, still shaken by what had occurred.

For personal reasons, Gothy thought it was preferable to not bring up the complication with Charles. Last thing they wanted was for Audrey to freak out about a bounty hunter from Auradon.

The foreigners stepped in on the hovering devices, which, for some reason, looked very much like musical records. After the last passenger got on board, the floating records moved in a line towards the exit. Audrey, Gothy, and Crystal were curious as to where they were heading until the exit of the station revealed what was on the other side of the hill.

Willywaffle, Beatrice, and the Bloody Bambi weren't very stunned due to familiarity, but Crystal was stunned, Gothy nearly lost her jaw, and Audrey thought that her old kingdom was a shrimp compared to this massive reef of colors. Honestly, at this rate, the Troll lands could be bigger than Auradon itself. Nearly every hill, valley, and mountain was occupied by vibrant-colored buildings shaped like instruments, neon-colored aquatic-themed nightclubs, rock-colored skyscrapers and arenas, operas and mansions of golden paint and cottony gardens, sandy suburban houses and ranches, countless green trees with apartments carved within them and glowing pods hanging from the branches, and far too many themed and colored buildings. There wasn't a street, building, or public area where music wasn't bursting and echoing everywhere, it was as if the atmosphere had turned into an orchestra of endless music. Audrey wanted to cry.

Some of the floating records made stops to drop of the visitors. While the record where the group was standing on kept floating, Audrey definitely noticed the colorful humanoid creatures that rushed to greet the visitors or drag them into their parties.

"I can't believe this is the first time I come to the Troll lands!" Crystal geeked.

"You never came here?" Gothy asked.

"No. I've had _some _Trolls who occasionally stop by at my parties, but it's only during their annual scouting of the Fae Moorways."

"I should bring up the ground rules." Willywaffle clasped his hands together. "Audrey, Gothy, whatever you do, _not a single word about where you came from!_"

"Believe me, after the train incident, I'm not in a rush!" Audrey reassured him.

"This ain't Macabretown where your sad stories are going to get you pity! Trolls HATE the Land-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named! You don't talk about it, you don't think about it, and don't you even dare SING a song from Auradon! ANY!"

"What happened to the last Auradonian guy you knew who dared to sing an Auradonian song?" Audrey dared to ask.

"The last time I knew an Auradonian refugee, he dared to sing '_It's a Small World After All_' during a karaoke night… and the Trolls made sure he'd be grey for life!" Willywaffle gestured the unhappy facial expression he made. "Trolls go gray when they're beyond unhappy. It's like being damned for life, but when a Troll manages to turn a human gray... the guy I knew is still living in a mental hospital somewhere in the east."

Audrey and Gothy shuddered. Hopefully it couldn't be worse than when Beatrice's parents had panicked when the latter brought up normality during her depression. "So when do we get off to meet your acquaintances?" Crystal asked.

The answer came when the floating record approached the heart of the Troll lands, a massive circular patch of land circled by six impressive buildings taller than the mountains in the distance: a dark estate with volcanic fountains, a mansion of coral pillars and neon cements, a theater with instrument-shaped windows and cotton gold curtains, a giant orange saloon, a shining black-and white estate with bright mural patterns in the gardens, and a giant green palace with numerous balconies made of roots, colorful flowers growing from the ground, leaves that glowed like emeralds under the sunset, and a diversity of blue, pink, and purple pods hanging from the branches, glowing and making everything look like a giant Christmas tree.

It was at the tree palace that the floating record went to and landed safely in a courtyard. The group got off just in time to see two Trolls, a male and a female, talking to an Oompa-Loompa and noticing the group. Both wore green-colored regalia with glitter, blue accents, and nature-themed crowns. The main differences between them were the male's blue skin and hair pigmentation rivaling the female's wild pink complexion and his general expression of waiting for the world to end while she looked a bit too optimistic.

"Oh my…" Crystal nearly ran out of breath. "The king and queen of the Pop Trolls! They're legendary! Willywaffle, are your acquaintances associated to the royal family?"

"Actually…" Willywaffle didn't get to answer Crystal's question. The royalty had already made their way and the queen was the first to hug him. To the girls' surprise (minus Beatrice), he actually returned the hug.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" The queen spoke in relief. "We were worried sick when the Oompa-Loompas showed up without you!"

"Has everyone recovered?" The king asked, genuinely concerned as well.

"Nobody got killed, thankfully." Willywaffle nodded once the queen stopped hugging him. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

"Of course not!" The king shook his head. "The last thing I'd need is for her to get a panic attack! You know how Sundays are busy for her."

"Are these your friends? We're already familiar with Beatrice. How are your parents doing?" The queen asked Beatrice excitedly.

"You know. Alive." Beatrice's casual shrug resulted with an amused chuckle from the king. "I'm really sorry for the trouble we're causing you by being extra guests for the next four days. Rest assured, we'll be out of your hair."

"Don't be silly!" The queen said. "You know the Trolls are open to more guests! I take it we have the presence of another royalty among us?"

Fortunately for Audrey and Gothy, the queen was obviously referring to Crystal, who immediately curtsied before the royal couple. "Crystal Maze, daughter of Jareth the Goblin King. I can't even begin to describe how honored I am to meet you! Many of your scouts have dropped by the Underground reciting the tales of the Troll lands and the Ring of Six that lead the other clans!" The royal couple bowed back. "So," Crystal went back to being casual, "I'm heard Willywaffle here has associations among the royal court! I guess it explains why you were expecting us!"

"Naturally. Willywaffle is well-related to _our _family," the king spoke up. "We're his primary Troll acquaintances."

"And if things work out well in the next four days, he'll be your primary dinner guest for the next seventy-years of his life," Beatrice joked. That only got a nervous grin from the queen, a skeptical look from the king, and a stressed expression on Willywaffle's face.

"I didn't get it." Audrey stared at Gothy.

"OK, maybe I should rephrase this…" Willywaffle smiled nervously. "Your Highnesses, these are Beatrice's friends _strictly_, Crystal Maze, Gothy, Audrey, and the Bloody Bambi. Beatrice's friends, these are the King and Queen of Pop, King Branch and Queen Poppy. They're also… the parents of my girlfriend."


	19. Princess of Pop & Mayor Jr Of Country

Chapter 19: Princess of Pop & Mayor Jr. Of Country

Sure enough, Willywaffle knew his way around the Pop Palace very well and led the girls straight to the suite that King Branch and Queen Poppy were allowing them to stay in. True to her word, Beatrice collapsed on one of fuzzy green beds and her snores nearly agitated the critters acting as light bulbs on the root-themed chandelier.

"How the heck is it POSSIBLE that you're the boyfriend of the Princess of Pop?" Crystal exclaimed, for she was still too stunned. Gothy and Audrey contended themselves with organizing their luggage in the closet. "She's… realistically open-minded, adventurous, and a walking jukebox! You're… a candy-themed grouch who never takes a break from insulting anyone!"

Willywaffle just stared at Crystal in an unaffected expression. "You can imagine why the King was so thrilled when I first started dating her."

"Opposites attract?" Audrey guessed.

"Bingo." Willywaffle paced around the room, tightening his grip on his cane. "And… I took this trip to the Troll lands because after two years of dating, I'm ready to propose to her."

You'd think it was Crystal who'd be the most shocked, but surprisingly, it was Audrey who took the hit. Her gut agitated at the reminder of how she felt outplaced when Ben had proposed to Mal.

"How old is she?" Gothy asked.

"Twenty-two. She's nearly the same age as me."

"Uh. Isn't she past the date when most princes or princesses take up the throne? Back in the Land-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named, the main monarch was crowned at sixteen."

"Interesting. Let me explain." Willywaffle moved to the window and pulled back the curtains, showing the kingdom that never ended its festivities. "Trolls vary depending on their musical genres. They used to be sorted into individual tribes, but after the Exodus from the Land-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named, they rebuilt the Troll Kingdom and organized a government called the Ring of Six…"

"Pop, Rock, Funk, Techno, Country, and Classical." Crystal listed.

"Primary genres where the monarchs form a sort of council where they determine the laws to preserve the cultural heritage and safety of all Trolls. Other genres have clan chiefs who show up as guests during the Ring of Six's meetings to bring in their perspectives, and while the adults do that, their kids help the people out," Willywaffle finished his explanation. "To make it clear, the leaders rule their specific genres, but they rule _together _to protect the Trolls. Example, King Branch and Queen Poppy specifically rule the Pop Troll but they engage with the other monarchs to protect all Trolls. And their daughter, my girlfriend, constantly fills up her schedule to make sure that she helps out any Troll in need. It's like her daily training to prepare for when she'll be Queen."

"Which is when?" Gothy asked.

"When her parents think she's ready and they pass their crown to her." Willywaffle hesitated. "Or if something bad happened to her, they could easily wait until her brother Shamrock is ready."

"Shamrock's still a baby…" Beatrice yawned out the words before snoring again.

"Why do you even ask?" Willywaffle asked Gothy. "I'm not interested in her title, if that's what you're wondering."

"Because ironically, I miss a structured-government with authorities," Gothy responded drily. "Considering how you beat the living daylights out of a family rivals, boss around a bunch of happy slaves, and probably have enough cash to get away with how you practically damaged the train with your caramel, I'm surprised that a royal figure would date someone who screws the rules because of his wealth."

"It's the United States of Anarchy. Who doesn't screw the rules because they have cash?" Willywaffle shrugged. "Look, you three had better act casual. My girlfriend has no idea that I came here and she'll only find out at tonight's dinner. When she's not overly stressed with her duties and when we get a private moment, I'll propose to her."

"You're not going to do it in public?" Crystal asked. "Wouldn't all the Trolls be thrilled to see one of the royal heirs being proposed to in public so that way, when she says yes, balloons and confetti fly everywhere?"

"Do I look like I want to be publically humiliated if she says no?"

The trio was too busy talking, they didn't notice Audrey tightening her grip as she struggled to stay calm.

"I mean, think of the 50% chances that she decides to say no and thinks we're better off dating than engaged, or worse, if she decides it's too embarrassing and we might be better off as friends instead of a couple!" Willywaffle freaked out. "Why do you think I brought tribute from Macabretown?"

Gothy and Crystal stared at one another in disbelief. "Emotional eating in case you break up or the dessert menu for the engagement party?" Gothy frowned. "Now you're just sad. Seriously, Audrey did better when…" That's when Gothy turned and noticed that Audrey was struggling and her hair was becoming pink.

"Pink Fingers! Snap out of it!" Crystal took the fastest approach and slapped Audrey in the face. The hit was hard enough for Audrey to get back to her blonde self.

"Can you guys shut up?" Audrey begged.

"What happened?" Beatrice jumped on her bed.

"Audrey, what's wrong?" Gothy checked Audrey's aching forehead. "This is getting insane! Your anger is consuming you!"

"I'm sorry!" Audrey's voice broke. "I was really happy but Willywaffle's talk about proposing to his girlfriend just reminded me how angry I was when Ben proposed to Mal… and my grandmother thought I was useless… and I was all alone… and… well, you know!"

"I'm sorry, Audrey." Willywaffle nodded without an inch of dryness. "I should have paid attention and stopped when you were getting uncomfortable…"

"But I don't want to be uncomfortable!" Audrey whined. "I'm not supposed to feel anything since the scent extraction practically took away any opinion of Auradon besides bitterness… Oh." Just like that, Audrey found her answer. "I'm in trouble. Maybe I should stay in here and wait until we catch the train…"

"Are you nuts?" Gothy snapped. "I took my history lessons and you will not go all-Elsa on me! Bottling yourself and your emotions is like creating a Pandora Box that's waiting to be opened and flood the world with years of bottled emotions!"

"Besides, I told you that Trolls hate Auradon," Willywaffle pointed out. "And King Branch is literally the leading expert on paranoia. If a visitor who happens to be an Auradonian refugee refuses to interact for even a day with these folk, he will _literally _develop conspiracy theories that Auradon has sent spies. Besides, Trolls are experts at handling emotions. So you need to come out there starting at dinner and _make friends with them!_"

_Later_

Audrey still felt nervous as they dressed up in the evening attires provided by the Trolls and joined the gathering in the royal gardens. When Willywaffle meant dinner, he mostly meant a potluck where all the cooks from the Ring of Six brought in a diversity of food to the table: seaweed sandwiches, roasted lambs with golden potatoes, barbecues and burgers, floral salads, hot beverage fountains, glittery juices and rainbow-colored pastries. Thank goodness the Pop royalty wasn't the only one with a diversity of non-Troll guests.

"I feel like I'm on the Isle again," Gothy said when they saw the Trolls belonging to the six chief genres: rainbow-colored Pop, punk-fashioned Rock, cowboy centaur Country, chubby cherub Classical, neon mermaid Techno, and tinsel-ornated giraffe Funk. "I'm hallucinating."

"You sure?" Willywaffle checked around. "I don't see any Smooth Jazz Trolls…"

"No, I'm serious. I think I'm seeing a cloud riding a purple butterfly and a giant turtle running and break-dancing at the same time!" Gothy pointed at something approaching the party with fast speed. To Gothy's surprise, rather than running for cover, the attendants made way and cheered as the car-sized critters hit the break. Sure enough, they were a giant purple butterfly and a black turtle, but the butterfly was overwhelmed by glitter causing its wings to shine and the already-deranged tortoise had spikes on its shell and graffiti shouting out the words 'ROCK N' ROLL' or 'ROCKINGTROLLTOISE NOT RESPONSE FOR BYSTANDERS BEHEADED BY BREAKDANCING!"

"Told you we wouldn't be late!" A Troll girl jumped off the ROCKINGTROLLTOISE. Her dull-blue skin stood out thanks to her red-tattered shirt, ripped jeans, and fingerless red gloves. She wore at least five earrings, four spiked bracelets, and her neck had a visible tattoo. Her height was hard to determine due to her giant red and black braid sticking out from the middle of her shaved head. From the way Willywaffle had explained, her description fit the general appearance of the Rock Trolls.

The Troll girl who stepped down from the butterfly, on the other hand, felt like a punching insult to Audrey. It didn't take her ten seconds to catch that the twenty-two-year-old, human sized Troll girl was Wilywaffle's girlfriend. Still, the sight felt like a slap. Purple skin like a glittery gumdrop candy, pink and blue hair tied up with a bluish elastic like a colorful geyser, blue eyes that matched those of King Branch only shining like a fountain of clear water, and purple lips rivaling the petals of a gladiolus. With her puffy-skirted blue dress with sewn purple beads forming clouds, her rainbow girdle, her teal leggings, her vine-fashioned green sandals, and her floral-jewelry ranging from her bracelets and earrings to her modest tiara, it was almost like witnessing the reincarnation of all weather and seasons into one form. The un-lighted torch she carried around like a hand scepter seemed so flexible, yet gave away a sign of friendliness due to the glitter cinders trailing out of it. Just seeing that girl made Audrey envious. In less than one second, the universe had thrown her bad karma by showing her everything she never was as a princess back in Auradon. In less than one second, the universe had decided to rub it in her face that if the Queen of Mean had a good counterpart, it would have been the Troll Princess of Pop.

King Branch and Queen Poppy went to hug their daughter. A small Troll with green skin and pink-and-blue hair popped out of the Queen's hair; best guess due to his small clothing, he was Prince Shamrock, the baby of the Pop family. And of course, the companion of the Pop princess was the first to notice the group.

"Yo, Glad! Your boy toy is here!" She called out.

"I told you to stop calling him that!" 'Glad' told her friend before running to embrace Willywaffle, who didn't hesitate to lift her up in the air. "You're here!"

"Always when you least expect it, Gladie!" Willywaffle put her back on the ground.

"Hi, Gladiola." Beatrice waved.

"Bea! I'm so glad you came!" The girls also hugged. "I don't believe it! Just when my day got bad, my friends make it better!"

"Wait." Willywaffle raised his hand. "Is this something I should know?"

"Not unless you want the details to sicken your perspectives on good tastes." Gladiola shook her head.

"What's with the girl band you tagged along?" The Rock Troll leaned over at the others. "An 80s cosplayer, a goth mom, and… a run-over bombshell?"

"_Excuse me?_" That was one slang she was actually familiar with in Auradon, way before Mal and her gang had come to Auradon Prep, one student had insulted as 'a bigger bombshell than Sleeping Beauty.' This wasn't a compliment but an insult; the student had implied that Audrey matched her mother in useless stupidity and beauty, if not a bit worse. Sure, with the way things have been going, Audrey did _sort of _agree with others' lousy perspectives on Sleeping Beauty, but still, calling Audrey a run-over bombshell?

"Sorry, that's Ozzy for you." Gladiola gently pulled Ozzy away. "Princess of Rock. She speaks up before thinking."

"I couldn't tell," Audrey replied sarcastically. "I think I'm just going to make myself scarce at the Scrapbooking Table. I wouldn't want to be run over by your giant tortoise and go from a dumb bombshell to an empty shell." To that, she stormed off to the table where some Trolls did scrapbooking and other arts & crafts, unnoticed by the other party members.

"_You _have got fifty-nine minutes to come up with a decent apology, Osborne!" Gladiola glared at Ozzy, who lowered her ears in embarrassment when Crystal and Gothy laughed their heads off at the embarrassing first name.

_Thirty-nine minutes later_

Audrey was still at the Scrapbooking table, lashing out her frustration through sketching rather than having her hair turn pink. She had to admit, she was getting too graphic with sketching out the people she disliked the most: Vincent Salt getting punched by a kaiju-squirrel, Indima Rex getting slammed by a train, and now, she sketched Ozzy getting knocked out by a chainsaw-shaped guitar. Lifting up her head did not help make things better. Crystal and Beatrice were fully engaging with the others, Gothy had even joined some group dancing, and of course, Willywaffle and Gladiola were dancing together. Just seeing them move around happily made Audrey unhappy. They clearly had what Audrey realized she never had with Ben. Real love. Willywaffle _actually_ looked happy and Gladiola looked so lovingly at him without a pinch of clinginess. The Princess of Pop was definitely everything Audrey never was as a princess, and in a matter of hours, that couple would be off to their own happily ever after.

At this rate, Audrey could hope that 'being just Beatrice's friend' would be enough for them to forget inviting Audrey at their wedding.

"Very nice visuals ya got there."

Audrey jumped in startle. A Country Troll had popped up out of nowhere, and judging by his position, he had been looking at the sketches from over Audrey's shoulder. "At this rate, you could consider a career as a poster designer."

"Uh, thanks. I don't often draw violent stuff," Audrey said. It was amazing how, despite his grass green horse-bottom half, the Country Troll's forehead was only a few centimeters higher than Audrey's. His red hair was pulled back in a ponytail that only reached his shoulders, the same length applying to his tail. A denim vest covered his green and white plaid shirt and his white cap bared the golden sewn words 'MOMMA'S WEE SHERIFF'.

"Momma's Wee Sheriff?" Audrey couldn't resist giggling.

"Embarrassing token of her affection, but it's lucky. Never go on a rodeo without it." He gestured to the spot where most of the leading Troll monarchs were cheerfully drinking and chatting. "My ma's the leader of the Country Trolls."

"So you're the Prince of Country?"

"More like Mayor Jr. It's a gig carried from parent to child. Name's Cyrus Dawn." He held out his hand. "Yours?"

"Uh… Audrey." Audrey shook his hand, which felt rather tough. He clearly boxed. "Ironically, it means 'noble strength' and I'm a wreck."

"It's also the name of jazz singer Audrey Morris," Cyrus Dawn grinned before darting his eyes back at the sketches. "At least you're expressing your frustration on paper than at Ozzy. She doesn't mean poorly, but she ain't exactly a Troll of respectful hospitality."

"I guess." Audrey stared back at her sketch of Ozzy. "I just don't like being called a bombshell. And she called me a run-over bombshell."

"To be fair, you do have notable bruises." He indicated some faint bruises on Audrey's exposed right arm, which she hadn't even noticed. "And for a champ like her to run around on Elvis when he spins on his own shell, she can tell when something got run-over."

"From people she ran into?"

"No." Cyrus Dawn turned serious. "I lost track of the times she broke her bones." He shook his head. "So what kind of music are you into?"

Audrey remembered what Willywaffle said about Trolls hating Auradonian music. "I can't really determine." She shook her head. "I don't want to accidentally offend you."

Cyrus Dawn nodded with a small smile. "It's understandable. You clearly went through some hardships; I can tell by the way ya hold yourself back that you dealt with things that make ya more aware of others' sentiments."

"And also the other way around." Audrey gestured.

"Then I reckon you might like jam a bit with the Country Trolls. Let's skedaddle." Cyrus Dawn brought Audrey up her seat and had her follow him to a part of the party where some Country Trolls and other guests were getting ready for a musical exchange. One of the Country Trolls tossed a banjo at Cyrus Dawn, who pounced and grabbed it with his hands.

"Who is the human?" A Classical Troll with messy blue-and-white hair looked up from his seat.

"Play nice, Trollthoven," Cyrus Dawn warned. "Audrey's new here and we're going to help her welcome by having her be our vocalist for this line dance."

Audrey stared at him in surprise. "But I don't know any Country songs!"

"We don't know all the right words, but they come and go." Cyrus Dawn played around the strings of his banjo. "We may sound mournful when we sing, but it's because we display sympathy for life's obstacles. Just ask yourself… What have you learned?" He continued playing. It was such a harmonious melody, Audrey had to make sure she sat properly. She thought of what she had learned, and as the Trolls stared at her, it came out.

Audrey: _I never could say what I should be sayin'_

_I thought I should take the way others told to go._

_I never took the time to think_

_That maybe my heart could be able to say no._

_I look for a sense in life, now I know well._

_I learned from life that I do not crumble_

_I learned that strength is something you choose._

_All of the reasons to keep on believing._

_There's no question, that's a lesson, that I learned from life._

The party members reacted well, especially the Country Trolls, who started the line dancing. Cyrus Dawn smiled proudly as he played his banjo.

Cyrus Dawn: _Trolls always don't agree on_

_What is the best way_

_To be heard afar while we're staying here._

_But Trolls can really trust you, and give you the guidance_

_To make decisions without any fear._

Audrey and Cyrus Dawn: _I'm grateful for the times_

_Trolls opened my eyes._

_I learned from life that I do not crumble_

_I learned that strength is something you choose._

_All of the reasons to keep on believing._

_There's no question, that's a lesson, that I learned from life._

Audrey: _I don't want to look back._

_I think I'm on the right track._

_I have no plan in my head_

_But I'll follow fate ahead._

Cyrus Dawn: _We're born to die_

_But the story doesn't just lie._

_Fate has challenges like a snake pit_

_So you move to follow it._

Audrey and Cyrus Dawn:

_I learned from life that I do not crumble_

_I learned that strength is something you choose._

_All of the reasons to keep on believing._

_There's no question, that's a lesson, that I learned from life._

The Trolls exchanged some applause.

"How'd you feel now?" Cyrus Dawn put down the banjo on a table.

"Less like punching myself." Audrey casually shrugged. Trollthoven came with three crystal glasses on hand, each full of a sizzling yellow beverage.

"Pollen Ale, anyone?" He asked. "We just had them imported from the Fae Realm this morning."

"Don't mind if I do." Cyrus Dawn took two of the glasses and handed one to Audrey.

"It's not alcoholic, is it?" Audrey asked with caution.

"Strictly a sugary beverage crafted out of the pollen of seventy different flowers from the Fae Realm," Trollthoven assured her. "Besides, Cyrus and I are underage; our parents would murder someone if they found out that alcoholic beverages were brought to dinner."

This reassured Audrey and she gladly accepted the glass offered by Cyrus Dawn. Trollthoven said that Pollen Ale was made of diverse flower pollen, but Audrey felt like she just drank a massive compilation of soda and juice flavors. She had to pinch her nose when she felt the bubbles moving upward and swallowed it back in. "_Really fizzy._"

"Wow. You beat my record!"

Audrey and Cyrus Dawn weren't surprised to see Ozzy sitting on the table closest to them, but Trollthoven spit out his Pollen Ale. "Were you _trolling _again, Osborne?" He exclaimed. "You know I hate that!"

"Not every second of my free time is dedicated to trolling you around, Drama Pants," Ozzy pointed out. "And don't call me Osborne!"

Audrey held up a laugh. "Drama Pants and _Osborne_?"

"Embarrassing first names run in her family." Cyrus Dawn then exclaimed: "Isn't that right, _Princess Osborne Rockenburg, daughter of Queen Barbara?_"

Ozzy rolled her eyes and ignored Cyrus Dawn's teasing. "I'm sorry if my nickname has offended you," she told Audrey. "It's a force of habit."

"It's OK." Audrey shrugged. "I just overreacted because minus the run over part, I had bad experiences of being nicknamed 'bombshell' back where I'm from."

"Eesh. Gender stereotyping?"

"Try family comparison."

The three royal Troll heirs quickly got the picture and both let out a grossed out 'yuck'. "They thought you'd be as stereotypically described as your mother or something?" Trollthoven was disgusted.

"To be fair, that was before I dyed my hair..." Audrey pointed at her hair. "And to be fair, I had a… rough transition from snobby, rich high school girl to… I don't know what I am."

"Kickass Madonna? Bully Wrestler? Ooh, _Dinomaggedon!_" Ozzy suggested more nicknames, only to confuse the guys. "What? Deetz told me she kicked butt since left the Trash Land!"

"I don't disagree. My old home was trash," Audrey nodded while thinking that Ozzy's ideas for nicknames actually sounded like the decent work of an expert.

"Was it your rough transitioning that led you to leave those monster-reigned territories?" Trollthoven asked.

Audrey frowned. "Monsters?"

"Yes. 'Monsters' is how we Trolls refer to the monarchs of your old home."

Audrey knew it had to be serious. The captain of the ferryboat said the Auradonian monarchs had stripped lands and forced people to accept their ideals, Crystal and many others had made it clear that Auradonian monarchs were taboo in their lands, and Lydia Deetz had told her how they didn't care if Beetlejuice was reformed, they were willing to separate the married couple. "What did they do again?"

"It's not what they did, it's what they tried to do," Cyrus Dawn said quietly. "They failed, and that's why the month of October is considered an annual celebration of liberation in the Eastern territories. For us Trolls, it's the celebration of how the Pop King Branch saved all Trolls from the monsters... by murdering King Stefan."


	20. Demonic Antics and Royal Proposals

Chapter 20: Demonic Antics and Royal Proposals

_For us Trolls, it's the celebration of how the Pop King Branch saved all Trolls from the monsters... by murdering King Stefan._

The words of Cyrus Dawn were still strong enough to echo in Audrey's brain to the point where she could have neither dreams or nightmares.

The dinner party had coincidentally ended at that reveal, but Cyrus Dawn, Trollthoven, and Ozzy wouldn't say anything about the matter because it would be unhealthy to think about it while going to bed. Definitely a good idea; pressuring for more details might have given away Audrey's nature as King Stefan's granddaughter.

Still, what had he done? Besides not inviting Maleficent and contributing in destroying everyone's livelihood to create a utopia, what had he done that was so horrible, the hospitable King of Pop and (at this rate) Willywaffle's potential father-in-law found it necessary to murder him? Even at her age, Audrey had no idea how her maternal grandfather died. Queen Leah and King Hubert had told her that King Stephan died from a blood-pressure related illness and that he passed away years before he could meet Audrey.

At least the demon left her alone.

In the end, Audrey ended up waking up far earlier than the others and getting herself ready. The breeze of dawn was still cool, so she wrapped herself in her cloak as she moved around the halls. There wasn't at least one wall that wasn't decorated with tapestries of the royal Pop family tree, each for a specific individual. At least one thing they had in common was that many of the members married into the primary line were commoners. If only she could rub it at her grandmother's face.

Audrey finally stumbled onto the most current tapestries. Prince Shamrock was too young to have his own, so the four tapestries were dedicated to Gladiola, her parents, and her grandfather. _King Peppy the Protector. Queen Poppy the Positive. King Branch the Brave. Princess Gladiola the Gifted. _But it was the tapestry of _King Branch the Brave _that alarmed Audrey. In a very well-weaved illustration, King Branch was depicted strangling King Stephan with his hair. Audrey didn't know what to react to. A crowd of Trolls rushing to an incomplete Auradon Wall while being guided by a sorceress? Her grandfather in armor? Or the fact that he was dangerously close to a broken, colorful eggshell where a baby Troll was crying on the ground? All she could react to was the general idea.

"Did he… try to kill Gladiola?" Tears escaped her eyes.

"No." Audrey found Gladiola standing next to her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to walk around the halls…"

"It's OK. I do it as well." Gladiola sat down on the floor in a Lotus position. "It also helps that I do early morning walks by my family's tapestries. It helps me remind myself that I don't want to do what they did."

Audrey sat down next to her. "Why is Sleeping Beauty's father near your egg?"

"Audrey, what did your old home say about his death?" Gladiola asked quietly.

"That he died of a blood pressure condition." Audrey shook her head at the tapestry. "Was he trying to kill Trolls just because they wouldn't join Auradon?"

"The monsters didn't want us. They said we were too loud and didn't fit their expectations. When we made it clear that we wouldn't surrender our capacities to satisfy them, they chose to persecute us." Gladiola bit her lip. "Sleeping Beauty's father hoped to take advantage of our exodus to snatch a Troll egg so he could give it to his future grandchildren. When he heard that royal Trolls had the best voices, he went after the only egg the Troll kings and queens currently had during the exodus. _My egg._"

"Did he try to break you out?" Audrey had already seen baby birds pop out of their eggs, but she was disturbed at the idea of imagining an unborn chick withering on the spot because a child tried to break it out.

"No. My parents took a detour to lure the monsters' troops away from the other Trolls and my mother tripped while carrying my egg. Apparently my egg landed safely, but they had to fight off the few who managed to follow them. I just happened to hatch when Sleeping Beauty's father caught up… and, you can imagine that my dad demonstrated why you should never hurt his family. Strangling the monster was the only method he could go for since cupcakes and rainbows were no longer an option. And of course, it took the arrival of the sorceress who encouraged the exodus to the other side to scare off the other monsters and cast a spell on the dead body's family."

"Excuse me?" Audrey freaked out.

"Oh yeah, the sorceress who encouraged everyone to make a run for it and who cast the mist." Gladiola nodded. "She has a scary personality, but everyone owes big time because she helped us all. She and my parents passed an agreement so the Trolls would have her protection. She happened to spot the conflict… she also did not appreciate how the monster behaved. Unlike the villain of his story, she loves children."

As Gladiola continued, Audrey tried to imagine a nice version of Maleficent saving a bunch of babies. It took her a while to see the picture.

"So she took the opportunity of cursing his legacy without his relatives even knowing that they were cursed. Don't worry, it wasn't another sleeping spell, but it was something that guaranteed that between his daughter's children and the rest of the family, one party's happily ever after would be the sad ending of the other."

"So… if the child was happy, the family wouldn't be, but if the family was happy, the child wouldn't?"

"Yep." Gladiola sighed. "She said that if Sleeping Beauty gave birth to a son, he would never reproduce an heir. If it was a daughter… the daughter would never true love with a prince, and because the family dared to provoke a powerful fairy through a trivial fashion, the sorceress decided to humiliate the family further by declaring that if the princess were to find true love, marry, and live happily ever after, it would be with a demon, and his reign would ensure the eternal suffering of his in-laws."

Audrey paled up at the story. "And… did your parents fulfill their agreement with the sorceress?"

"Yes. She's the godmother to me and Shamrock." Gladiola got up and helped Audrey do as well. "She gave me the Torch of Happiness, and every time I use it, it helps me remember that I was fortunate to survive, be there for the other Trolls, and that she must have seen something that was worth it in me. The fact that she sees me grow and is there to give me advice, the fact that she trusted me to wield a magical artifact, something that has never been done in my family, it… tells me that I have what it takes to be a good leader. And it's not easy… I always tell myself that I don't want to do the same mistakes as my family."

"What mistakes?" Audrey got up and gestured at the tapestry. "Your dad killed a tyrant! You Trolls are living in peace! You work with the other monarchs and heirs to keep harmony! You got a weirdo like Willywaffle who's over the moon in love with you and he's made it clear that he's not into your title but into _you!_"

"I agree with most of the things you say, especially about my beloved weirdo." Gladiola blushed. "But still, my family did shameful things in the past. My ancestor's selfishness was the reason why Trolls were separated until 25 years ago, my grandfather freed the Pop Trolls from the Bergens but he didn't even do a security check, my mom made friends with Bergens and helped reunite the tribes but in less than two minutes, she made it clear that she was an arrogant Pollyana with no sense of real life perspectives, and my dad… well, he's great at everything, but he could loosen up a bit."

This princess definetly was the opposite of what Audrey once was. Gladiola acknowledged her family made mistakes and was determined to prove she could be an open-minded ruler in the future. Back in the old days, Audrey didn't even think _once_ to ask her grandmother how things would have been different if Maleficent had been invited in the first place. The sorceress who created the mist and cursed Audrey's grandfather without the family knowing sounded dangerous enough, but everyone in the lands of anarchy seemed to respect her out of gratitude to the point where the Pop King, the same king who strangled Audrey's grandfather, was alright to trust this sorceress into being the godmother of his two children.

For some reason, Audrey no longer felt dread at the entire notion.

_Later, after breakfast_

This really didn't work out for Audrey. Shortly after the sugary breakfast, Gladiola had insisted that the guest joined in as the royal heirs gathered to prepare for today's schedule.

"Is it because I accidentally put the Reef Palace in a sinkhole the last time I was here?" Beatrice asked.

"No, though that did terrify the triplets." Gladiola gestured to three pre-teen triplets, hybrids of Techno and Pop Trolls since the Techno King, Trollex, had married one of Gladiola's mother's friends, DJ Suki. "It's also because it's Monday. Everybody knows that my family has pancakes for breakfast on Mondays and Shamrock turns into an overdosed roadrunner! So technically speaking, I don't need another destructive machine!"

"Fair enough." Beatrice made herself put.

Gladiola pulled a scrapbook out of her hair and flipped through its pages. "OK, it's the Liberation Celebration. Things are going to be hectic and had to be sorted out and rescheduled far in advance, but if we keep things under check by doing the mixed team-ups, we'll have everything covered and we won't be all sweaty by the time of the evening Liberation Celebration. Any questions before we split into teams?"

The Trolls shook their heads, but Audrey raised her hand. "I have one. How are _we _helpful?" She gestured her finger at herself and her friends.

"Let's just call it learning through experience. Any other questions?" They all shook their heads. "OK. Time to split the royal teams. We know the rules: different teams every half-day, dibs are won through hair-blade-and gem. Who calls dibs first?"

"I call dibs on the Techno Triplets!" Ozzy called out. She and the Techno Triplets immediately went on to shake their hairs until Audrey realized that they were doing the Troll equivalent of rock-paper-scissors. When Ozzy called gem, it broke the Triplets' blade; the four immediately exchanged high-fives. The game went until Gladiola was paired with Trollthoven and Cyrus Dawn with the Funk Cousins-Easily-Mistaken-As Twins. "OK. Now's the part where you guys call dibs on which humans you want to go with you."

"And obviously the Pale Candy Cane goes with you." Ozzy rolled her eyes.

"Great observation, Rock Candy," Willywaffle chuckled as he high-fived his girlfriend.

"We call Dinomaggedon." Ozzy did a horn sign.

"But how will it work for our team? There's three left," Cyrus Dawn asked.

"I'll opt out." Beatrice raised her hand. "Somebody's gotta take care of the Bloody Bambi and ya can't really split Crystal and Gothy apart."

"But you'll miss out on helping some Trolls, Bea," Gladiola said as Beatrice got up. "Sure, I worry about you being near Shamrock on Mondays, but we don't want to leave you out."

"I'm the kid of Beetlejuice, I'm constantly left out." Just like that, Beatrice morphed into a fly and flew out the window.

_Minutes later_

Beatrice watched with discretion from the window of the guest chamber as the royal heirs split up with the others. Audrey was visibly getting on better terms on Princess Ozzy as they and the Techno Triplets went on with handling the needs of the Rock and Techno Troll civilians. Gagging coming from behind her alerted her that the Bloody Bambi was coughing as it rested on one of the beds. Beatrice frowned while the manifestation twisted its mouth so the demon could speak with a smile through it.

"_Things aren't going well."_

"You're telling me!" Beatrice walked up to the possessed animal. "Audrey woke me up and told me some weird garbage about how Penna De Mort cursed her family after King Branch killed Audrey's grandfather! Now she's freaked out about the idea that thanks Auradon's stupidity, she'll be married off to a demon!"

"_I assure you in advance that I had nothing to do with it. It may have worked out with your parents, but I'm not some demon seeking a mentally-shattered spouse. You know me, I've managed to stay a powerful monster in the equivalent of 80 human years following my death._"

"You're probably right." Beatrice shrugged in relief.

"_But back to things not going well. I know you never destroyed Audrey's phone… and you did the right thing."_

Beatrice pulled out the trinket in question from her shirt. "I still can't believe the connection works."

"_I'm more worried about why the call was made. Think about it. I've constantly been by her side since we crossed the mist. I've talked to my Queen of Mean in her nightmares caused by her accidents, she had a small sight of my former human self, and the truth about her grandfather puzzled her enough to keep me from doing any appearances. This manifestation of mine has stuck by her side for more than a month. Why is it now that her grandmother calls her by phone?_"

Beatrice thought about it. The Bloody Bambi had a valid point. She paced around the room until she spotted her reflection in the chamber's vanity mirror. "Remind me again. Based on what we've seen with Gothy's psychotic brother, only hybrids can cross the mist for endless round trips. What about half ghosts like me?"

"_It means that unlike everyone else, we get to mess things up._" The Bloody Bambi caught up to her idea.

"Maybe it's time I met Audrey's family…" A sick grin came on both of their faces.

_Back in Auradon_

"It's already October, Mal!" Ben was getting nervous. "What if she comes back asking again?"

"I don't know…" Mal admitted. "If Penna finds out I lied, we're all screwed, and if Penna kills Audrey, I'll never forgive myself.

While everyone was debating, Queen Leah was still in a state of shock due to the response she had received on the phone. She wasn't sure what she had thought back then. Maybe a diplomatic response? Bright side, Audrey was being taken cared of, but negative side, a young teenager had demonstrated her clinginess and badmouthed the Queen. And to worsen things, her grandmother was going to the turf of the same Trolls species that killed Stefan. "I can't imagine how things can go worse from here."

"Something's wrong with my mirror." Evie tapped on the magic mirror. "It won't talk."

"I thought it responded to you when you talk to it nicely?" Celia asked. With things worsening and without Charles Frollo, Leah had invited Celia and Dr. Facilier to the meeting.

"I know! But he won't appear when I summon him or knock. And for some reason, the glass is moving!"

"Hold on." Beast approached the mirror. Sure enough, he saw an opening at the bottom. "It almost looks like the mirror on the wall's glass is behaving like those mirrors that rotate…" Without even thinking, Beast pushed the glass forward, and as he did, the glass spun…

And the other side revealed a girl leaning on the glass. Beast backed away when he saw her, the others gasped… and Facilier screamed like a girl.

"B… Beatrice Deetz?" Leah got off from her seat.

"DEETZ?" Facilier exclaimed. "THAT BLACK-AND-WHITE OUTFIT? YOU'RE THE OFFSPRING OF BEETLEJUICE AND LYDIA DEETZ!"

"Don't say his name two more times if ya want him to show up!" Beatrice sneered. "He did mention he roughhoused a couple voodoo priests from New Orleans back in Hell… and I'll gladly toss you back there if I decide to get juicy!" Her statement made Facilier hide underneath a table.

"Don't!" Leah put herself in front of Beatrice. "If it's about the phone call…"

"_The grandmother._" Beatrice growled, her teeth sharpening. "What part of 'running away from home and cutting ties' escape you? You're _lucky_ I had enough sanity to not transform your phone's reception into a sandworm the moment I answered!" Beatrice pointed at the mirror. "You've been using this mirror to spy on Audrey!"

"We only used this once! We were worried about Audrey! Something bad is after her!"

"Look, I know every grandmother is worried because her granddaughter summoned a demon and will have to fill a contract with him, but it's a part of life! Everyone makes a deal with the devil once in a while!" Beatrice raised her hands in the air.

"No, we got over that weeks ago!" Evie waved her hand in dismissal. "I know this is bad timing, but I really like your pinstripe dress!" Everyone besides Beatrice gave her one of those 'not now' glares.

"Thanks! I had it commissioned!" Beatrice chuckled. "I don't regularly compliment people who use their accessories to spy on my friend, but that's a good choice of blue hair color! My friend Delora has the same shade!"

"Not now, Evie!" Mal nudged Evie aside. "Beatrice, Audrey's demon not our current problem. Penna De Mort showed up in Auradon and she expects the carrier of my mother's magic to be killed on December 21st or else her dad will be set loose! I lied to Penna and told her I have it, but Audrey's the one who has it!"

Beatrice scowled. "So… that's why Gothy's brother wanted to drag her back in Auradon…" The hybrid stormed forward and poked Mal on the nose, causing the latter to cringe when she saw how deep the nail was going through her skin. "FYI, your buddy Pencil Hair sabotaged the train and nearly got me killed with his silver and iron blades! I had to fend him off until Crystal had a gargoyle snatched him away! WHILE I WAS CARRYING AUDREY KNOCKED OUT! IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL WORRYING ABOUT YOUR FRIEND?"

"We didn't know about the train!"

"Gee, I wonder why." Beatrice rolled her eyes and she appeared by the mirror's side. Without even a moment of hesitation, she grabbed the mirror and pushed it.

"NO!" But Evie was too late. The magic mirror fell glass first onto the ground. Shattered pieces spread everywhere before the magic dissolved into thin air and the glass turned into sand. A tear escaped her eyes.

"GUARDS! CAPTURE HER!" Beast called. Guards stormed in the room.

"You idiot!" Facilier exclaimed.

"Don't lose your heads!" Beatrice snapped her fingers. Just like that, the guards heads popped off their bodies and rolled around. Many bystanders freaked out when they saw the rolling heads still screaming. "I still got mine in the game!" Beatrice stretched her leg and kicked every single head out the window. Screams could be heard from outside, probably from the gardeners panicking at the sight of flying heads. "You don't look disoriented enough, let's go for another spin!" Faster than a bolt, she moved around and forced the headless bodies to spin. "Oh, you're all unraveled!" And just like that, she snapped her fingers and the bodies unraveled like threads.

"That's enough!" Jay made a run towards Beatrice.

"Drop it, meat sack!" Beatrice pointed a black-and-white bolt at him. Just like that, Jay dried up and gained the emptiness of a meat sack. Mal felt the usual stress that triggered her dragon transformation, but Beatrice picked it up and trapped Mal in an ice block before she could transform.

A fiery red portal appeared out of nowhere. The familiar red stag poked its head out, a creepy smile attached to it. "_We've done our job, Beatrice. We can skedaddle."_

"Good, I hate this place!" Beatrice glared at everyone. "Keep your lesson, you retards, or the next time I catch you spying, I'm sending a bunch of sandworms at you!" Beatrice jumped into the portal before it vanished. The victims were brought back to normal and Evie's tears over her broken mirror was the only thing standing out among the silence.

_Back in the Troll Lands_

Beatrice really hoped this was the last time she committed the illegal act of taking advantage of her hybrid nature to cross to Auradon through magic artifacts. At least she managed to destroy their primary source of observation, but she still had a migraine when she and the Bloody Bambi stormed into the guest chambers. Ozzy and Audrey were there, sitting on a bed while Ozzy worked on applying black eyeshadow on Audrey.

"You OK, Bea?" Audrey looked concerned. "How was your day with the Bloody Bambi?"

"He pees everywhere he goes." Beatrice's exasperated voice successfully covered her lie. "How was your day with Ozzy and the Techno Triplets?"

"Two words. _Really rocking!_" Audrey said giddily while Ozzy cleaned up the edges of Audrey's eyeshadow. "The Techno Triplets really have a way with high-tech neon lights DJ booths and electronics, the Rock Trolls use parkour to assemble equipment and decorations, and _you had _to see the guitars they come up with using Techno strings! And you're not going to believe it, but during the music breaks, I picked up the music waves! Check this out!" Audrey held out her right hand and sure enough, pink bolts popped out and destroyed the nearby coffee table. She then twirled her fingers around and pink waves came to brush away the debris. "Observing the Rock and Techno Trolls helped me create new spells!"

"Wow. I dare imagine what it will be like if you learn from the other Trolls."

"Not hard to expect." Ozzy smirked. "Cyrus Dawn asked Dinomaggedon for the first dances of any genre at the Liberation Celebration!"

"You can't be serious… We're not even here for 24 hours and you get goo-goo eyes from a Country Troll?" Beatrice exclaimed.

"It's not that far," Audrey shook her head in a tone that reassured Beatrice. "I mean, Cyrus Dawn has really helped calm down when we first got here, but I don't want to risk our friendship and I'm not prioritizing on romance since, you know, my ex-boyfriends. We're just dancing as friends."

"So why the makeup?"

"Dinomaggedon told me some details about the time she turned into a pink-haired she-demon, and I cut her off when she brought up the sloppy black makeup that magically appeared on her. So I'm just finishing my tutorial on Rock troll makeup." Ozzy pulled out a small pouch from her hair and revealed its purple glitter cotton. "OK, this is generally a Pop Troll thing to use a lot of glitter, but Gladiola showed me that even six glitter specks can make a Troll stand out, so I just dip my finger in the pouch twice and I tap your eyelids." Ozzy added the glittery touches on Audrey's eyelids and pulled out a compact mirror. "See? Evenly outlined black eye shadow and only a small portion of glitter, and you become Dinomaggedon the Dynamite!"

"It definitely works better than what I had as the Queen of Mean." Audrey admired Ozzy's work.

"Yeah, based on your descriptions, Queen of Mean eyeshadow is more 'I'm seeking revenge because I had no shut eye', whereas Rock Troll makeup is more like 'I dare you to challenge the Princess of Darkness.'" Ozzy jumped off the bed and stretched herself. "Speaking of challenge, we got to get ready. Willywaffle will soon be proposing to Gladiola."

"I thought he wanted his proposal to be private?" Audrey frowned.

"He is, but bets have been going around the Ring of Six, so we had cameras placed around the intended area of the proposal." Ozzy rubs her fingers. "One who guesses correctly wins all the jackpot."

"Trolls don't bet through money. What's the jackpot?" Beatrice leaned in.

"Let me think. My mom and I bet that Gladiola will scream at the top of her lungs after she says yes, King Trollex, Queen Suki, and the triplets think that fireworks will appear out of nowhere, Kings Cooper and D and their kids Chandler and Deity think fireflies will form hearts in the air, Delta and Cyrus Dawn guarantee that Gladiola will collapse in Willywaffle's arms, Trollzart and Trollthoven are rooting for a massive hallelujah, and King Branch and Queen Poppy are going for a big kiss and glitter showers. Overall, we're looking at a jackpot of Classical doilies, Rock leather, Techno threads, Pop glitter, Funk flowers, and Country buttons." Ozzy stared at Audrey and Beatrice. "You guys wanna place bets? Losers have to make an outfit for the winners using some of the jackpot."

"Ooh, I can really go for a new skirt!" Beatrice ran through her pockets and pulled out a golden beetle. "One authentic mummy scarab for the bet that none of your ideas will come to pass!"

"And I'll gladly cut my hair that all the ideas will come to pass." Ozzy and Beatrice gasped in horror at Audrey's bet.

"Dinomaggedon! Are you for real?" Ozzy choked. "Human hair ain't like Troll hair! If I cut my mane, it'll grow back, but yours will take longer than a sunflower in one year!"

"Take it or leave it!" Audrey grinned. "When I win, you'll be sewing my cloak into a coat fitting for a Dinomaggedon!"

"Oh, it is on!" Ozzy grinned and shook hands with Audrey.

_During the Liberation Celebration_

The Trolls really knew how to party as they celebrated 22 years of liberation. Nearly 30 minutes were dedicated to a specific music genre, and as told previously, Audrey was dancing each first dance with Cyrus Dawn.

"You seriously bet your hair on it?" Cyrus Dawn was equally baffled as they did the waltz with instrumental conducting from Trollthoven. "Had you been a Country Troll, we'd be saying that you were jumping on your first rodeo too quickly!"

"You'd be surprised." Audrey laughed.

It was probably somewhere around 9pm that someone noticed Willywaffle discreetly leading Gladiola away from the party. Immediately, King Branch and Queen Poppy convinced everyone to shut up while Trolls pulled up screens revealing the live footage of the couple finally stopping by a garden filled with gladiolus (Audrey was sure it wasn't a coincidence). Trolls had to hold back their tears or sighs as the cameras recorded Willywaffle detailing his love for Gladiola.

"_They talk about how differences matter and that it's challenging to find things in common. But whenever I'm with you, I see how our differences really compliment with one another. For me, a gloomy overshadowed freak, you're the sun at dawn. Every time I spend with you is like a warm ray that fills my day, and every time I think of you when I'm away is like filling my brain with rainbow clouds. I am constantly in self-doubt but you're always there to refill my soul with faith. Your kindness, so altruistic and selfless, constantly melts my heart in a bigger boil than dark chocolate._"

"So beautiful…" Crystal sniffed. Even Gothy had to pull out a handkerchief to wipe off the tears.

"_I love you, Gladiola Trollkonge, with so much love that not even all the sugar in the world can match your sweetness. So I ask you…_" Everyone held their breath as the camera recorded Willywaffle Wonka going down on his knees, pulling out a red velvet colored box and revealing a magenta diamond ring. "_Will you marry me?"_

The things that came were wild. Obviously, the yes came out in an excited shout that echoed all over the Troll lands, but what happened next was that during the couple exchanging a kiss, Classical Trolls flew around singing a hallelujah before flying away from the fireworks and glitter bombs, somehow not scaring away the fireflies that formed hearts in the hair, and Gladiola being overwhelmed with joy that she couldn't stand on her feet and collapsed in Willywaffle's arms.

Most of the Troll monarchies were speechless.

"I don't believe it…" Crystal whistled. "Audrey, how did you know they'd happen all at once?"

"Force of habit." Audrey shrugged. "One thing I learned back in the old days is that rich people are losers when it comes to bets. Clearly they were going to rig the proposal site. Problem is, everyone had the same idea." She snickered and shouted in a singsong tune: "OSBORNE! YOU OWE ME A NEW COAT!"

The newly engaged couple came out. While Gladiola was visibly upset that her family had spied on her, she was overly enjoyed when she hugged her parents. From the distance, Audrey could see that King Branch was very ecstatic about his future son-in-law.

"Hey." Gothy gently patted Audrey on the shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I know the last time you assisted a royal proposal, things went a bit south. I just want to make sure you're feeling OK…"

Audrey held on to Gothy's hand. "I am. The circumstances were different, but I really feel happy for these two. I can't really picture Willywaffle in a leafy crown, but he clearly loves her. And from what I've seen, Gladiola is going to be a great queen."

"Come on. Let's go give them our congrats." Crystal got up and led them towards the couple surrounded by Trolls, visitors and other royals congratulating them.

"I can't believe it! I'm engaged!" Gladiola didn't even hesitate to give the group a massive hug. Audrey nearly suffocated at the bear hug. "This is probably the fifth best day of my life!"

"Hey!" Willywaffle frowned while Gladiola stopped hugging the girls. "What's first?"

"When you first told me that you love me, silly!" Gladiola poked him on the nose, causing him to blush massively.

"So when's the hitching date?" Ozzy asked. "I got to know in advance before I start crafting any wedding gift."

"Ozzy, we're civilized people, not the monsters from the land that shall not be named!" Gladiola calmed down her excitement to speak a bit more seriously. "The engagement is epic, but I still got major tasks coming up. We'll have until summer to plan out the catering."

"Why wait eight months?" One of the Techno Triplets whined.

"Three words, my little friend." Willywaffle bent down to show the small one his fingers. "_Ice cream cake_." Sure enough, those three words got the kids excited.

"So when do you think you'll find your sister?" Gladiola casually asked Gothy. "I'll have to know in advance your assumed availabilities before we start sending out invites."

"Wait… you'd invite us?" Gothy was surprised. "But Audrey and I are only refugees, not to mention complete strangers."

"That's what Trolls do." Cyrus Dawn shrugged. "They invite anyone."

"Plus, my godmother always told me that if you don't invite everyone in our side of the world, there's always going to be this one sensitive soul who decides to crash the party and put a curse on you. Speak of the devil!" Out of nowhere, an owl flew by and dropped a letter from its beak. Gladiola eagerly grabbed the envelope, opened it, and pulled out the letter. "It's a letter from my godmother!"

"Is it another of her last-minute RSVPs confirming that she's coming tomorrow for the continuation of the Liberation Celebration?" Trollthoven asked.

"Well, yes, but she's also coming to congratulate me for my engagement. She's coming tomorrow with her boyfriend Prince Marius Bogfae for her expected tribute."


	21. Things Go Downhill

Chapter 21: Things Go Downhill

"We are… SO DEAD!"

Audrey lost count of how many times Crystal had declared their doom after last night's dinner party. Crystal kept repeating it from the moment she woke up to when she came out of the shower. "We're dead! I knew it! YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF SIDE EFFECTS WHEN YOU TOOK THAT STUPID SCEPTER, PINK FINGERS!"

"You might be overreacting…" Audrey failed to calm down Crystal. She cringed when Crystal looked like she wanted to strangle her; Gothy had to hold back Crystal before she could do any harm.

"Hold on, Crystal! Maybe Audrey might be right. After all, he did let us go and tipped us on getting Audrey's Auradonian stench off. Perhaps he'll keep a low profile today…"

"It would take a _miracle _if he hasn't told his girlfriend 'Hey, love of my life, guess what? I told an Auradonian princess to remove her stench and nobody knows she's a walking pig surrounded by clueless butchers!'" Crystal clenched her teeth. "You must _not _underestimate that witch! She created the mist, is nearly responsible for the origins of a multitude of villains, and crossing her would guarantee a one-way ticket to Hell!"

Audrey grimaced. Deep down, she knew that Crystal was right. At this rate, if the Fae Realm Prince discovered their presence today, his suspicious nature would rise again. But at the same time, if they didn't make themselves known, the Trolls would be the ones getting suspicious and Willywaffle would probably be ripping his hair out because he predicted this could happen.

"I could just turn myself over…" Audrey sighed. "At any rate, they're bound to find out…"

"Sure, and why don't we wave a flag that says 'arrest us all as traitors because we were in on it'?" Crystal was on the verge of exploding.

"Or!" Beatrice raises her hand. "Nobody has to be suspicious of anyone if Audrey is bedridden…"

"Beatrice, we can't fake an illness! That'll double the suspicions!"

"Wow, you spent too much time outside the Underground!" Beatrice hovered and tapped Crystal's forehead. "You, magic." Continuing to use the tone people use on dumb individuals, Beatrice gestured a fruit bowl resting on one of the tables. "Fruit, hex. Audrey puke and everyone buys it because she's actually sick."

Crystal's eyes twitched in fury. "Beatrice Betelgeuse Morticia Lydia Deetz, are you trying to propose that I break my ethics and go all-Jareth? If we weren't friends, I'd be teleporting you to the Bog of Eternal Stench and then back to Macabretown, not even your anti-hygienic paternal would want you in his house!"

"Uh… what's the 'all-Jareth'?" Audrey nervously asked.

"It's this thing that my dad did on Sarah back in the 80s, where he had her drugged with an enchanted peach to stall her quest. The fact that he took advantage to dance with a teenager while she was hallucinating creeps _me _out! The moment I started learning the basics of solemn oaths, I swore that as long as I live, I'd never stoop that low!"

"And this comes from a hedonistic party animal." Gothy rolled her eyes.

"That's different, Gorgeous. I respect your boundaries, I like you as a person, I'd rather take a bog swim if I drugged you with a fruit, and there's a decent age gap between us whereas with…" Crystal shuddered in disgust.

"OK, I agree with Beatrice's idea but let's not break your ethics," Audrey reassured Crystal. "Maybe I can shoot myself with a sickness spell. Is there a spell I can cast that's not lethal but we'll keep me in bed either until they leave or when we leave tomorrow?"

Crystal and Beatrice grimaced. "Um, there is one…" Beatrice bit her lip. "The Fae Pox."

"Crazy rash, fever, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, itching, leg hair loss, constant sneezing, and the curing side effect of swelling in certain body parts." Crystal shuddered. "I swear, when you recover, you'll be _energy drained _for who knows how long!"

"We might have to move you around in a wheelchair."

"Who cares?" Audrey was getting impatient. "How do I cast it on myself? Is there something I say like '_I don't want my secret out of the box, may I be cursed with Fae Pox_'?" Audrey then realized she made the grave mistake of pointing at herself. A jot of pink magic moved from her finger to her face and the next thing she knew, she was viciously scratching herself and making a run for the bathroom. The girls and the Bloody Bambi cringed at the ghastly sounds coming from the bathroom.

"WHY IS THERE CHURNY LEFTOVERS COMING OUT OF MY PIPES?" King Branch's screaming voice could be heard coming from many levels below.

"Ugh. Audrey's magic is spreading like wildfire," Crystal felt like things were hopeless. "It went on and messed up the indoor plumbing."

"And at bad timing!" Beatrice checked the window. "De Mort's carriage is already outside!"

_Later_

It probably took only five seconds for Penna De Mort to snap her fingers and fix the clogging problem, but it felt like eternity as Crystal and Beatrice were too afraid of ceasing their bowing. Gothy was used to bowing to others, but now she could understand why Penna De Mort was more terrifying than Maleficent. The eternal teenager could snap or cast at her leisure, talk to snakes, and get a handle on people through contracts. Still, she kept the composure of a civilized person. As for Marius Bogfae, the emotions were mixed. Gothy and Crystal were fearful that he might spill the beans and Beatrice feared a one-way ticket to Hell.

"So… you're one of the refugees of Auradon." Gothy felt the sweat going down her neck as the sorceress stood before her, a massive snake resting on her shoulders. "I've heard that many of the refugees that permanently settle in these lands are mostly commoners, but I did notice a surge in former prisoners of the Isle of the Lost coming along. Mostly Huns and second-hand pirates, but now I get the complete set of Gothel's children."

"I… take it you're familiar with Cassandra and Charles, ma'am?" Gothy cautiously asked.

"Quite." Penna shrugged. "You've obviously got your sister's sense of ditching the concept of vanity and your half-brother, though maybe a bit over the edge, is actually quite progressive."

"Progressive?" Gothy tilted her head up. "He barely got here and he sabotaged the train wheels before we got here and spent the next minutes trying to kill us all! I had to wish Crystal to get him away!"

"Oh!" Penna realized with a grin. "That explains why Jessie said she saw a gargoyle carrying him to Villainapolis at 4pm! What a relief! For a moment, I worried she jumped in a chemical bin and forgot that gargoyles are nocturnal creatures that sleep during the day… or, you know, that you imagine as alive because you actually have mental problems!" Marius Bogfae chuckled at her joke. "But still…" Penna continued to smirk proudly. "He backstabs Auradon through a tantrum and five seconds after I give him a ride, he drops the façade! Who would have thought that the son of a bigot would be the best comedian from the other side, am I right? Still, very progressive. Were you aware that your half-brother was bi?"

Gothy blinked. _That _was something she was unfamiliar with. "We… were too focused on murdering each other."

"Ain't that sweet. The opposites of your folks and you both share a passion for murder and sexuality. I'm serious, you should be proud." Penna finally stopped grinning to speak in sincerity. "No wonder you ran away."

Gothy was relieved when Queen Poppy finally addressed Penna De Mort, taking the uncomfortable weight off her. "I'm sorry if Gladiola isn't here right now. She woke up Willywaffle at dawn to take car of some early demands to ensure that today's Liberation Celebration would be to your liking."

"My tribute of Troll gemstones, snake-themed fireworks, and naturally the permit for Feige and Dårlig to pull in their food truck?" Penna asked.

Just like that, Beatrice began drooling. Crystal had to punch her in the stomach to regain her senses. "What?" Beatrice whined. "They own the best diner-chain in the lands! Do you have ANY idea how delicious their Groot beer floats are?"

"Of course I'm aware!" Crystal hissed.

"So… Gothy…" Marius tapped his fingers while his arms were crossed. Without the Living Tar, he was still as scary as ever. "Where's your blonde friend with the disturbing Rudolph?"

"Upstairs and sick…" Naturally, Gothy found herself contradicted. The elevator door dinged and Ozzy came out, pushing a Rock wheelchair with Audrey in it. Despite being cleaned and brushed, Audrey was awfully woozy and delirious…

"OWLS and SONGBIRDS…" Audrey deliriously sang.

"OZZY! Why'd you take her out of bed?" King Branch panicked. "And why is she in one of your grandfather's wheelchairs?"

"I owed her a new coat after last night. What you think?" Ozzy gestured to the coat. Sure enough, she had managed to spend the entire night fashioning Audrey's coat into a frock coat that could be turned over from the original blue side to a darker version covered in Rock leather. On the leather, Ozzy had managed to sew the Techno threads and Classical doilies to create motifs of flying birds at the bottom of the coat, the Funk flowers covered by Pop glitter on the sleeves, and the Country buttons where buttons usually go on this kind of coat. Ozzy had also taken the liberty of helping Audrey put on her vest from the Watchful Highlands and the pants from Macabretown, which went superbly with the new coat.

"Trolls just wanna have… crystals made of fire… GLITTER PONIES!" Audrey's Fae Pox was worsening.

"At this rate, she'll be more delirious than your grandfather!" King Branch told Ozzy.

"How'd she even get Fae Pox?" Marius frowned.

"Accident." Beatrice took the bullet. "You know how my dad and I are, we have a weird habit of hexing engaged people as a coping mechanism for the butterflies following proposals. I tried practicing a Fox Pox hex for Willywaffle, but I mispronounced and gave Audrey the Fae Pox by mistake."

Penna De Mort walked up to Audrey and checked the latter's temperature by tapping her forehead. Gothy kept biting her lip, worried that the sorceress would smite Audrey the moment the latter's identity were to be revealed. "Eh. This is common."

"It is?" Nearly everyone who wasn't a Troll wondered in curiosity.

"It's something stupid that Auradon does: no magic. They put a barrier to keep villains from using magic and they trash-talk their so-called goodie two-shoed civilians that things like books and friendship is the real magic," Penna shrugged. "With refugees running away from those brainwashing totalitarians, I've seen some 'ex-Auradonians' getting severe cases of Fae Pox after they cross the mist. Highly common."

"So… you think she's some kind of Muggle-born?" Marius looked more confused than the others as if he had messed something up big time.

"Obviously. What half-blood, half-breed, or pureblood rants about weirder subjects than people after wisdom teeth removal? Don't worry, I'll fix her in a bit." Penna cracked her knuckles before placing her hands under Audrey's chin and behind her head and forcibly pushing her face forward. Audrey choked out a gasp before spitting out some gunk, jumping off the wheelchair, and gagging a bit more as the Fae Pox symptoms disappeared. "Tada! Problem solved!"

"Audrey!" Gothy yelped as she and Crystal helped her properly stand up. "How are you feeling? Talk to me!"

"Love the coat, Ozzy." Those were the first words that came out of Audrey.

Ozzy gave a big, toothy grin. "I knew you would, Dinomaggedon."

The nickname's mention caused a chuckle to come out of De Mort. "Not a nickname you hear very often."

"It's legit, Your Greatness," Ozzy grinned back at De Mort. "Gladiola's fiancé's trip got delayed due to massive saboteurs and psychopaths. First the Indominus Rex's offspring got beaten up by Dinomaggedon and then Deetz and the others had to deal with a teenage one-army bounty hunter!"

Penna looked confused. "OK, I knew about Charles Frollo being wary with his sister, but why did Indimia Rex attack the train? I told her that I didn't want her to eat anyone on the train while my goddaughter's intended was on it."

"Indimia works for you?" This got Audrey back to her fuller senses. "She ticked me off by threatening to eat Beatrice and Crystal!" Audrey then noticed Marius Bogfae standing behind the sorceress. A massive scowl grew on her face. "Why do I have the feeling that Willywaffle was right about not trusting you?"

"_Oh no_." Penna turned her head at a 180 degrees angle to face her boyfriend. "Marius, you're the only one I've granted access to my minions during punch clock hours. Have you been taking advantage of my employees WITHOUT my consent AGAIN? Excuse us, folks, we need to have a serious talk. We'll be back for the celebration." She grabbed her boyfriend's hand and teleported them out of the room.

"You sure you want to keep her around as your future grandchildren's godmother?" Ozzy asked King Branch.

"You know what happened to the last idiots who refused to invite a powerful sorceress to a royal baby's birthday party?" The monarch asked skeptically.

"Uh… massive curse that gave both sides years of shame?" Audrey spoke out loud to hide her dread.

"_Exactly_. The Trolls are already in big debt to her. The last thing we need is for her to lash her anger on us."

_Minutes later, elsewhere_

"WHAT TO YOU MEAN, YOU TRIED TO FINISH HER OFF?"

Penna had teleported herself and Marius to the Pop Palace's empty roofdeck to finish their conversation. When the sorceress displayed signs of anger, her pet snake slithered off to hide under a table.

"I know, I should have finished her off when I first detected her royal blood, but my sense of being a reasonable authority took the best of me and I let them go," Marius explained without a pinch of fear. "Technically, I had hoped that she wouldn't go through the perfume extraction method, probably if the hydra had managed to eat her, but I still sent the twins to spy on her. And when Maleficent's offspring told us her 'story', I thought that the part of the scepter and Sleeping Beauty's daughter's permanent road trip had some kind of link, so to figure out whether she had the scepter's magic or if she was just a powerful danger, I had the bridge sabotaged and collapsed and technically gave Indimia a tip about the greatest meal she and her mother would ever have. And I purposely convinced you to come to the Liberation Celebration in the hopes that an accident would kill her off. So… can we go kill her?"

"Marius, I adore how you come up with schemes and I love how you try to kill people even when it's not for me, but you should not have killed her!" Penna snapped. "First, there's _no way _she'd use Maleficent's scepter!"

"What makes you say that?" Marius raised his hand. "For all we know, Mal could have invented that story to hide the fact that it was Audrey and not Mal who took the scepter when it failed. It would mean that Mal would have purposely sabotaged your contract and your father's escape to wreak havoc would all be her fault because she wanted to save the hide of her rival!"

"There's no way she used the scepter." Penna shook her head. "The scepter's magic had a very distinguishable energy signature; my ear drums would be driven nuts if the signature made itself known in the body of someone who doesn't have Maleficent's blood. I can detect powerful magic in Audrey, probably very close to my level, but it has the same energy signature as Auradonian refugees who pop out of the mist with magical skills no longer restrained. You know, like a late bloomer. I swear on the River Styx, Marius, there's no way she touched that scepter."

Marius bit his lip. Penna De Mort was never the sort to lie, and when she swore on the River Styx, she enhanced her honesty. "Besides," Penna continued, "I already cursed her."  
This caught the prince's attention. "When?"

"Oh, way before she was born, back when Branch murdered King Stephan when the human made an attempt on baby Gladiola." Penna shrugged. "I cursed his corpse so that any grandchild he has will bear misery to his family by being happy… or be eternally miserable while the rest of the family was happy. A grandson would never reproduce heirs… a granddaughter would find true love in a demon and their happily ever after will come with the demon's reign eternally ruining Sleeping Beauty's family!" Penna began laughing out loud, even the table where her snake hid under shook. "And now she's run away from her family with a manifestation sent by her demon to watch her back? No wonder Auradon was disfigured when we paid a visit!" Penna pulled out a teal-colored agenda from her dress' pocket. "You think we might be able to squeeze another marriage before Gladiola's?"

"You can't be serious… You cursed the next generation with an arranged marriage?" Marius frowned.

"I saw it as karma. You know, like the trash love story of Aurora and Philip. Except, you know, I was imaging true love in the forms of sins, murder, and the look on King Stephan's ghostly face at the idea of having a demon for an in-law!" Penna pondered. "You think I should reach out to my contacts to figure out the cake design?"

"Uh, Viper Eyes?" Marius called her by the affectionate nickname he had given her. "I appreciate that we cleared things up, but… now that we have cleared things up, I don't know how to feel about you acting as the matchmaker to an underage teenager and a demon that she doesn't know. From what I managed to perceive, she hasn't even passed a contract with him and she isn't aware that the red stag accompanying her is actually a manifestation. Aren't you afraid it might be… too much?"

Penna looked at her closed agenda. "You mean, maybe give them more time?"

"Or at least wait until Audrey is 20 to create your plans for the ceremony?" Marius put his hand on Penna's as she held the agenda. "Or, again, wait until she at least enacts a contract?"

"You're probably right." Penna put away her agenda. "Besides, if that merry band is going to find Cassandra and Beatrice Deetz is taking them to the Seussian Lands, they're bound to find out about the _peculiar _stops that await them between the Seussian Lands and Cassandra's location."

_In the evening_

Audrey wasn't sure why she hadn't bothered to put on shoes even after the rest she managed to catch, but she ignored the concept and she took care of her hair and makeup before joining the others for the Liberation Celebration.

The Troll Lands were definitely at their most festive, as far as Audrey had seen. The streetlamps were replaced by neon lava lamps, creating trails of rainbow lights all over the kingdom. Garlands of flowers hung from the buildings, glitter firecrackers and neon fireworks were exploding everywhere, and bubbles floated from the waterworks. There wasn't a single building where there wasn't a bunch of Trolls partying, dancing and singing all sorts of music, making the Troll Lands seem like a massive jukebox musical.

Outside of the six royal palaces, all the courts were enjoying themselves. The King and Queen of Techno themselves constantly mixed the different genres into musical tracks that kept everyone dancing while others drank, sang, and chatted.

"Best… hic! Best night of my life! Hic!" Crystal raised her glass of punch as she and Gothy sat at a table.

Gothy laughed. "They don't serve alcohol here and you're drunk!"

Crystal hiccupped once more, nearly falling off her seat until Gothy caught her. Gothy pulled the cup out of Crystal's hands while the latter rested her head on Gothy's chest. "I never realized… hic! You smell like… hic! Sunflowers!"

"I don't know what sunflowers smell like."

"Oh, Gothy… Hic! I love you so much…"

"You're under the influence, Crystal," Gothy patted Crystal on the head.

"I've loved you since…" Instead of hiccups, snoring came out of Crystal. Audrey and Ozzy came by just in time to see Gothy place Crystal so that the latter could sleep on the table counter.

"Is she OK?" Audrey asked.

"Eh, the usual." Gothy sat back and Audrey snapped her fingers so that a pillow could appear underneath the sleeping head. "Crystal had a blast, got drunk, and I think she tried to make the weirdest love confession ever."

"I thought you two were an item." Ozzy drank the remains of her mug.

"We aren't!" Gothy snapped.

"It's not because she's the Goblin King's kid, is it? Some Rock Trolls who stopped by the Underground once did stop at one of her parties. They said she was a bigger hedonist at parties than most Rock Trolls, but I don't really see it when she's with you."

"She's just flirting." Gothy kept shaking her head.

"They also used to say that when she flirted, she'd usually switch interests every thirteen minutes. Has she flirted with anyone else since she joined your world tour?"

Gothy wounded up silent. _I get flirty when I do one-night stands. I'm just doing my best effort in wooing._ Those were the words that Crystal had used back in Macabretown, back when they talked about Gothy's insecurities and problems with Charles. So she actually meant it? "Dang… I didn't… She was telling the truth?"

"How couldn't you tell?" Audrey was equally shocked. "Even _the Bloody Bambi _could see that Crystal liked you!"

"I'm not Mother Gothel!" Gothy protested. "I had zero interest in the people who tried to flirt with me on the Isle! I didn't need for people to indulge my non-existent vanity!"

"Or you just weren't interested." Ozzy shrugged. "That happens to many. But look on the bright side, you're being adored by a princess with zero comments on your non-existent vanity!"

Gothy rolled her eyes. Crystal kept snoring.

"I should probably bring Crystal back to our room." Audrey got up and made her way around the table.

"But you're going to miss out on limbo!" Ozzy complained. "At worse, you'll miss out on the epic rock karaoke!"

Audrey smirked and pointed her finger at Crystal. Pink sparkles showered over Crystal, shrinking her into a doll-size that Audrey could easily carry. "I'll be back just in to watch you fail at limbo."

"Is that a challenge?" Ozzy arched her eyebrows in amusement.

"How is it a challenge?" Audrey laughed. Gothy and Ozzy watched as Audrey made her way back to the Pop Palace, carrying Crystal in her hands.

"Looks like Cyrus Dawn might have some competition in his hooves," Gothy teased.

Ozzy frowned. "Cyrus Dawn… with her? They're just friends."

"Green-eyed theory?" Gothy teased.

"No. He's just nice that way to anyone he wants to be friends with. Besides, everybody knows that Cyrus Dawn and Trollthoven have been together since New Year's Eve!" She pointed at the princes who were busy playing banjo and harpsichord together. Apparently, Cyrus Dawn had allowed Trollthoven to wear his cowboy hat.

"I am so clueless…" Gothy shook her head.

"Nah. Humans just forget that Trolls aren't that different." When a waiter passed by with a tray full of mugs, Ozzy snatched another mug and immediately drank from it. Fruit punch was still dripping off her lips by the time she was done, but she dried it off with her bare forearm. "So you guys are going straight to the Seussian Lands on that train tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Hopefully I'll finally find out where Cassandra is."

"Yeah, Dinomaggedon did tell me bits about your quest. I'm jealous. I've never gone that far east. The furthest I've gone is Villainapolis, but that's it."

"Why would you go in a town full of villains on purpose?" Gothy still had her nasty childhood memories. She certainly didn't miss the Isle of the Lost.

"Well A, because my mom is a reformed villain and I got my edges, B, we know a Bergen and a Troll who run a dinner that makes the best Groot beers I've ever drunk in my life but they don't own a chain, and C, Villainapolis is a paradise when I need to go out occasionally to go break stuff."

"Break stuff?"

"I'm a Rock Troll. I break stuff when I get bad. But home insurance is a thing here, so I have to hold it up and I usually go once a month at Villainapolis to unleash it all. They don't give a shit, they're too focused on their turf wars and indulging in their worst sins. Deetz says that it's basically the human version of Hell: violence, gambling, murder, theft, sex, and other stuff you shouldn't see in a kids' cartoon. No cops."

"And your mom just lets you go?"

"Yep."

The Liberation Celebration kept going. After losing to Beatrice at limbo, Gothy and Ozzy went on to take part in rock karaoke, where Gothy found herself riled up after singing 'Rock You Like A Hurricane'. They moved on to charades, square dancing, musical chairs, and Gothy just lost track. It must have been around 10pm when some people were dispersing. Before heading out to their business, Penna De Mort and Marius Bogfae came to give to give their good-byes.

"This has been a delight." Penna bowed.

"Your presence always brings us the best honor," Queen Poppy agreed as she curtsied.

"I'm just glad we were able to take part in the festivities without causing controversies. Right, _Marius?_" Penna glared at her boyfriend.

"I said I was sorry!" Marius complained.

"Eh, it's fine." Gothy shrugged. "I lost track of how many times we almost got killed."

"I was hoping on further enforcing the apologies to Audrey and to also exchange numbers. Has she gone to bed already?" Penna asked.

"Where is she anyway?" Beatrice frowned.

"Last time we saw her, she was bringing Crystal back to our room… That had to be at least two hours ago!" Gothy realized.

"MOMMY! DADDY!"

People looked up and saw the Techno Triplets flying towards them. The two girls were dragging in their small arms two gruff individuals in discreet clothing while the only male among the triplets was riding the Bloody Bambi… who had a human arm in his teeth. The girls threw the men onto the buffet table. King Trollex and Queen DJ Suki rushed to their children.

"What happened?" King Trollex demanded.

"Daddy! It was horrible!" The boy was crying while his mother took him in her arms. "We went to put Shamrock to bed like Auntie Poppy asked, and when we got up, we saw three big men dragging Audrey out of town! We followed them, but they had her shackled and threw her in the river."

"You're floating merfolk-land hybrids and you couldn't dive in to save her?" Gothy exclaimed.

"Uh, to be fair, it's a poisonous series of rapids," Ozzy said. "I'm not sure why we have one of those."

"So we went after the big guys. Audrey's pet deer couldn't catch her, so he ate one of the big guys," the triplet continued.

Penna glared at Marius. "OK, it was NOT me this time!"

Before the men could get up, Willywaffle pinned one of them down with his cane whole Gladiola threatened the other with her torch. "I know them!" Willywaffle snarled. "Goons of Vincent Salt!"

"Seriously!" Beatrice snapped. "Audrey kicking his butt was SO last week!"

Gothy definitely didn't take this well. Thanks to those goons, her friend might be gone. She shoved Willywaffle aside and grabbed the goon he was menacing by the neck. Her dagger was dangerously close to piercing his neck. "What have you done to Audrey and how do we get her back? Talk, or I'll dice your heart out, cut off your digestive system, AND BURN EVERYTHING BEFORE SERVING YOU AS ROASTING TO THE BLOODY BAMBI!" To support her, the Bloody Bambi showed off its toothy mouth at the goon.

"VINCENT SALT PAID US TO DISPOSE OF THE MAGIC GIRL WHO HUMILIATED HIM, SO WE SNUCK ON THE TRAIN!" The goon screamed. "WE AIN'T MURDERERS, BUT WE SAW HOW YOU NEARLY LOST TO THAT GREY-HAIRED FREAK THE OTHER DAY! SO WE WAITED FOR HER TO COME OUT OF HER ROOM WHEN SHE WAS ALONE, WE STRUCK HER ON THE HEAD, PUT SILVER AND IRON HANDCUFFS ON HER, AND WE THREW HER IN THE RIVER! WE TOSSED HER AS FAR AWAY FROM TOWN, SO BY DAWN, SHE'D BE ARRIVING IN VILLAINAPOLIS!"

As equally furious as Gothy, Beatrice shot a beam of lightning at the goons, turning them into beetles. But rather than eating them, she stomped on them with her boots.

"Thanks to natural contrast, Audrey will be weakened in Villainapolis by tomorrow morning but we'd take two or three days by foot! No trains go by Villainapolis in turf war season! And who knows when that will until the next train to the Seussian lands comes?"

"Hold on." Penna raised her hands. "It might not be hopeless. I can't leave the business that I must attend with Marius, but I do know that Jessie is in Villainapolis right now… Oh, and also your half-brother who just loves trying to murder you."

Gothy rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to pass a phone call to Jessie and convince her to pull a few strings so she can save your friend."

"Can't you just ask her to fish her out of the river?" Gothy scowled.

"Even if Jessie had an anti-poison net on her, it doesn't work that way in Villainapolis. Scavengers will immediately claim her and she'll have to endure what every newcomer endures when they put their foot in that town."

"Oh, right!" Ozzy said. "They have newcomers battle with the locals in an arena so the newcomers either die or join the ranks of the gangs. Regardless if its seasonal or permanent."

"So here's what I suggest. I make my call to Jessie. Aside from working for me, she's also part of a local gang. I'll ask her to convince her chief to ease up on the… challenges so that Audrey will survive and stay sheltered until then. Your merry group splits in half, one half gets a head start at the Seussian lands while the other goes to Villainapolis, gets Audrey, and meets the others at the Seussian lands."

"Uh, with Audrey gone, there's only 3 of us left." Gothy pointed out drily. "Crystal, Beatrice, and I. And I'm not counting the Bloody Bambi."

"Make that four." To everyone's surprise, Ozzy stepped up. "I volunteer to join the group that will go to Villainapolis."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Beatrice asked.

"You and I know Villainapolis better than the others. My ROCKINGTROLLTOISE also acts like a camping bus and it takes me a day in a half to get to Villainapolis with him as my ride. Well, a day and a half when I exclude the breaks at youth hostels. Gothy and Crystal can take the train while we find Audrey. Heck, if we're lucky, my pet could reach the train before it reaches the Seussian lands!"

"Ozzy, you're sure?" Gladiola stared at her friend. "You haven't been that far east in your life."

"I've been in crazier trains. Besides, I'm sure that Dinomaggedon can kick some butt while she waits for us!"


	22. Queen of Mean vs Princess of Mischief

Chapter 22: Queen of Mean vs Princess of Mischief

Audrey recalled awakening by cruel force and finding herself handcuffed and dragged by the rapid currents on some river. She tried to use her magic, but the cuffs burned onto her skin, preventing her from casting a spell. She tried using her physical force to move through the currents, but something about the water was stinging its way through her skin and sending jolting pain through Audrey's muscles. She tried screaming for help, but nobody could possibly hear her as the water kept hitting her in the mouth. Eventually, she got too weakened and lost consciousness for good. She was certain she was bound to die as her eyes fell into darkness. At this rate, she might as well be on her way to become the eternal servant of the demon she never got to make a pact with…

"Hey, kid! Wake up!"

A gruff voice and a back hand smacking her provoked Audrey to wake up. She was in some sort of grey stone room and the only light sources were coming through the bars that barricaded the window and the part of the cell with the closest access to a hallway. Audrey saw that she had been placed on some rectangular stone forming a bed, nearly reminding her of a funeral altar, and a dark sheet had been thrown over her. She was soaking all the way to her toes.

"Get up, kid! We're almost up!"

Audrey saw the one who had splashed her. To her shock, it was a Hun. Probably one of the Huns she had seen back at the ferry she and Gothy had taken to leave the Watchful Highlands. Audrey sat up on her bed and saw that her arms were covered in bandages. Her clothes were on her and someone had bandaged her bare feet as well. However, when she tried to stand up, Audrey groaned at the pain that slithered its way within her. Despite his gruffness, the Hun caught her before she could collapse and helped her back on her seat.

"Where am I?"

"In a cell at Villainapolis," the Hun told her. "Scavengers found you washed on the shores of that poisonous river outside of town. How you survived, they didn't give a hoot. They brought you here, they treated your injuries, and they locked you here with me." He pulled out a brown bottle from his grey-colored fur coat and held it up for Audrey. "Have some Hun rum."

"I don't drink alcohol." Audrey shook her head.

"Kid, if things go badly for us in the next thirty minutes, this will probably the only booze you'll ever have alive." He scowled at her. "_Drink._"

Audrey frowned at him. She hesitated and accepted the bottle. After taking a massive sip, she immediately handed the bottle back to the Hun before covering her mouth. How it was possible, she didn't care, but the alcohol was burning its way down her throat. Audrey felt like the world's hottest essence of leaf and nuts had penetrated her.

"You're that Queen of Mean they talked about back in Auradon." Audrey stiffened as the Hun recognized her. "Come to think of it, I think I saw you back on the ferry. You were with that red beast and Gothy Gothel. Why are you so far from home?"

"Auradon is no longer my home," Audrey retorted coldly. "And what about you? I thought the Huns who came here moved in a group."

"Oh. _That._" The Hun grimaced and put his bottled back in his coat. "Long story short, we weren't quite happy to see that none of the Huns old turf was in Auradon, even those closest to Mulan's territory, so some of us set east. We heard that what remained of the Mongolian territories was east just before entering the Seussian Lands, but we made the mistake of making a stop at Villainapolis." He leaned on the wall closest to the window and crossed his legs, as if trying to take the last relaxing pose he'd ever have. "We basically thought 'it's basically a city-version of the Isle of the Lost, what could go wrong?' Then we see how they treat newcomers. They lock them here and expect them to fight local gang leaders to either join them or get killed by them."

"What the… This is ridiculous! Even tourists and bystanders?"

"They don't care if you're in Villainapolis for a temporary drive by, to visit someone, or to move in. They care about expanding their gangs for their annual turf wars. So the newcomers face challenges in their arena. If they succeed, they join a gang, permanent or seasonal member, but if you lose, they kill you." His expression temporarily saddened. "I lost track of time. They couldn't do us all at once because of their turf war cravings, so I gradually watched my friends come and go… Only two of my fellow Huns are alive."

Audrey was certain she was paling up by now. "The local villains are THAT powerful? How many Huns were you?"

"Not all of us. We were about nine when we got here. Others made the smartest move to go straight to the east. 4 died in the arena, two joined gangs… and my best friend chose to dishonor herself with cyanide." He looked grimly at Audrey. "I've been here for a while. They purposely weaken me by giving me less than the usual Hun rations; I'm almost out of fuel. As for you… well, you're probably still too weakened. You might as well die before even putting your foot in the middle of the arena."

The Hun suddenly coughed violently. He began coughing out ball and falling on the cold ground. Before Audrey had time to get up and reach for him, his body was stiffer than a rock. Audrey checked to see if she could hear his heartbeat, but it was dead silent.

"Sorry about that. I slipped poison in his breakfast cyanide."

Audrey turned to the cell's bars. A chalk-white pale teenager, probably only a year or two younger than Beatrice, stood on the other side. She wore a black-and-red jumpsuit that covered her shoulders and went no further than her calves. A purple diamond motif was present in her belt, her pockets' cuffs, and open-toed chunky heeled combat boots. Her fingerless gloves were of the same purple hue as her diamond motif, her blonde hair was mustard-colored compared to Audrey's and vibrant in black and pink stripes; the whole mass of hair was tied and held up by a hair clip resembling a comedy mask holding daggers in its mouth. Her nails and lips were painted dark red and a black diamond mask covered her brown eyes. Audrey saw four vibrant tattoos on the girls' exposed flesh, primarily capitalized typography that shouted '**J.J'**, '**LOL**', '**HAHA**', '**DADDY CAN SHIT HIS WAY TO HELL CAUSE I'M THE BOSS**.'

"Huh, can I help you?" Audrey asked defensively.

"I just did." The girl nudged her head at the corpse of the Hun. "I saved you some time."

"Time til what?"

"To get the assholes out there to keep you alive."

"And who are you?"

"Jessie Joker. My boss called me. Apparently Vincent Salt's goons sent you crash-coursing here. She said that your friends will be splitting up, one to the Seussian Lands and the other to come get you. Sad fact of nature, it'll take them longer for them to come to you by land than it took you to be washed up here, so my boss told me to convince my gang leader to pull some strings. We're going to get you out of this shit."

"How?" Audrey raised her hands. "I'm weak!"

"Oh, you'll be fine after you get some meds!" Jessie said dismissively. "Look, it's mandatory for you to go in the arena, but my gang leader came up with ways to make sure you win, stay alive, and we keep an eye on you. But you have to trust us. OK?"

Audrey didn't know what to think. The girl was her junior and she came to her just like that with an escape plan after casually admitting that she poisoned a Hun four times her wait. And the tone she used made it seem like this was done every other Tuesday! But Audrey had no other options.

"What must I do?" Audrey asked.

"First, they'll have you fight against a local from the audience who volunteers to fight you. First person gets the call. My gang leader convinced her boyfriend to volunteer. He's got a lot of juice in him and they expect him to fight seriously, but don't worry, he's a good actor. He'll make things easier for you, get a bit physical, and he's going to fake surrendering because you gave him too much of a fight. Since you'll still be alive, it leads to the final round, where ALL the gang leaders come charging at you. Last gang leader standing either kills you or gets you to surrender and join his or her gang. We rigged the arena to dispose of the competition, so you'll get into a fight with my gang leader and eventually surrender. Once it's all done, you'll be safe on our turfs."

Audrey blinked. "You've planned all this overnight? Wait, what time is it?"

"Eh. 10 am..." Jessie shrugged. "Don't worry, they give out free lunches during half-time. When you survive, I'll bring you a hamburger." Jessie checked towards the hallway, probably where the exit was. "They'll eventually come to dispose of the corpse… And take you to the arena. Listen, I got to go, but I'll cross my fingers for you."

"Hold on." Audrey searched through the Hun's coat and pulled out the rum bottle. She reached her hand across the bars and handed it to Jessie. "I hate to say it, but that was some good rum. Hold on to it for me."

"Good thing nobody gives a shit in Villainapolis." Jessie laughed as she took it.

_Later_

As Jessie had predicted, some individuals came to drag the body out while others escorted Audrey through the grey hallway. None of them looked like the typical guards she had seen most of her life and they certainly didn't dress in leather patchworks like the villains from the Isle. No, they looked like the typical guys who'd spend Friday nights at a karaoke bar if the attire also included strapped weapons. Audrey was also pretty shocked to see _guns _strapped on them. In Auradon, no civilian was allowed to carry such weaponry and even the hired guards were forbidden to use it unless direly necessary.

The criminals merely escorted her as if she was a 'guarded guest' until they reached a purple door. "Good luck," one of them said. "Try to stay alive."

The door opened, exposing a light that nearly blinded Audrey as she was shoved out. She found her way up some small steps and found herself on a circular battling ground of grey stones dominated by a dome of amethysts. Circular bleachers surrounded the field, and Audrey saw to her discomfort that nearly everyone in the audience was dead silent. There had to be more than 500 attendees of all ages, all dressed in dark or vibrant colors that ranged in battle uniforms, aristocratic suits, leather-coated bad boys and girls, muggers, exotic fiends, and random civilians who were probably here for the sake of a good show. All of them either stared at Audrey with confused wide eyes or frowns suggesting that they had no clue if this was someone's idea of a joke. Even the kids' expression made it clear that Audrey was probably the weirdest sight of their lives.

"_Wow. The bastards from the other side must have been so bad for one of their own brats to get all delinquent!_" Whoever was the female announcer tried to crack a joke, but nobody in the audience even coughed. Audrey didn't even know how to react to their expressionless behaviors. If this had been a showdown in Auradon, she could have imagined the crow boing at her. Macabretown? She could have at least imagined some people cheering, especially after she had beaten up Vincent Salt. But this crowd of villains she was unfamiliar with? They might as well be waiting for a taster to find out if today's mystery meat was poisoned or not.

"_Fine, since we can't make any humor nowadays!_" The female announcer was probably rolling her eyes. "_We all know the drill. The newcomer has to play rough with the first person in the audience to volunteer…"_

"I volunteer!" Audrey looked around the audience. At the front rows on the right, she managed to spot Jessie sitting next to some purple-dressed princess and a gentleman in a red and black riding suit with matching top hat. The latter was standing up and raising his cane.

"_It looks like Napoleon Moriarty just volunteered himself._" Audrey saw Jessie giving her a hopeful thumbs-up. _"Good. You may make your way to the arena!_"

For a moment, Audrey thought she might have a chance. Considering how he used his cane to walk, she could at least use it against his stomach. But the moment he got of the row and put his foot in the bleachers' steps, Napoleon Moriarty found himself encased in a block of ice. Compared to the previous minutes, the crowd actually panicked.

"Looks like Moriarty is suffering a brain freeze," a female voice spoke up. "Looks like the second volunteer gets to face the newbie. And that would be me."

Out of nowhere, a green-colored bonfire appeared in the arena. When it disappeared, a young woman stood, unscathed by the flames. She could have been in her early twenties or something. Her hair, probably as gray as stone, was in two different hues and hanging behind her head like a massive mane with some strands braided just by her forehead. Her green long-sleeved shirt had a collar of maroon that seemed to move on its own despite the lack of wind, her green leggings had bright blue patterns of Nordic runes, and her green flats almost looked like they were fabricated out of wolf fangs. Her only jewelry was the blue cuff bracelet on her left arm and the wolf head pendant on her neck. She would have been alluring but Audrey found her alarming. Especially when she saw her venomous green eyes and the sinister sneer on her maroon lips. Who did this remind Audrey of?

_Mal._

Audrey didn't want to believe it. These lands of anarchy had a clone of Mal. That is, if Mal was more obsessed with green and had a glare that made Audrey feel that this hadn't become a competition but a hunt. When she looked back at the audience, she saw Jessie and the purple princess looking terrified. Obviously, this wasn't part of their plan.

"_Th…Th…That was… unexpected._" The female announcer probably sounded like she wanted to retire.

"Right, because it would have been boring if it was unexpected." When the witch began taking steps forward, Audrey realized that she was actually at least 2 feet taller than her. And at every step she took, the stoned floor turned into patches of ice. "Then again, you people really want to waste such a spectacle? You got yourself a Fae magic overpowered human _from the other side of the mist_ and you'd rather waste the entertainment by having her compete with a wannabe crime lord?" The witch waved her hand towards Audrey, who definitely felt scared as shit. "They want to see her full potential? Let them have it! Let them see what Audrey the Queen of Mean has to throw at me! Kory Lokisdottir, the Princess of Mischief!"

The crowd seemed to cower, but Audrey felt a metaphorical icy chill going down her spine. "How do you know who I am?" She choked out the question. She didn't know when it happened, but somehow Kory teleported herself so that only 8 inches separated her from Audrey. The newfound proximity led to an icy air around them and Kory sank her venom green nails into Audrey's neck. She wasn't being strangled, but Audrey yelped as a bolt of energy stung her from within and she felt her magic suddenly fueling her muscles. Audrey looked at Kory in confusion. "Why?"

The Princess of Mischief sneered. "I could just say over my dead body, but that would be impossible. Fight me, Queen of Mean."

Audrey was still too stunned.

"FIGHT ME!" Kory's sneer was still plastered on her face as she slapped Audrey to crash land across half of the field. Audrey tried to get up, but she had to make an immediate dodge when Kory sent an icy spike in an attempt to impale her. As soon as she got back up, Audrey shot a pink blast of magic at Kory. The latter merely flicked her fingers and disintegrated the blast. Anyone who was sitting in the front rows, sans Jessie and the purple princess, fled upwards as far as they could from the splat zone. Audrey sent out pink bolts at Kory, who barricaded them with bigger green ones.

"Is that all you got, Sugar Pie?" Kory's new nickname caused Audrey to feel the anger flush in her cheeks. What was wrong with that girl, especially whenever she kept that smile on her face? "I'm getting bored."

Now Audrey was getting pissed. Recalling the spell Crystal had used before their confrontation with the dinosaurs, she threw her fists down onto the ground. "_Stone, metal, mineral, follow the desires of I, your royal!_" Nearly every stone tile surrounding Audrey and every pipe hidden underneath ripped their way through the surface and merged to create soldiers of stoned bodies and piped armor.

"Ooh, I shudder!" Kory mocked. She snapped her fingers and caused a chain reaction of purple smoke explosions. When the smoke cleared, Audrey was horrified to see that a dozen clones of Kory Lokisdottir were fighting Audrey's abominations. She couldn't even tell which one was the real Kory until the real deal kicked her from behind and had her fall face first onto the ground. Audrey saw the redness dripping out of her nose when she got up. Furious, she agitated her hands and created a pink spinel ball that she tossed at Kory, who dodged the growing pink spikes with the skills of a ballerina dancer.

"I'm nearly impressed," Kory shrugged.

"Just WHAT is your problem with me?" Audrey snapped. She summoned vines to grow from the ground and restrain Kory, but even that was beneath the Princess of Mischief, who converted her whole body into water to slip her way out and solidified herself as an ice statue that turned into her original form. "I don't even know you!"

"Of course you don't!" Kory laughed. Stone snakes emitting green auras sprung out of the ground to merge into one giant stone snake that trapped Audrey in its stone coils. She screamed as the serpentine bonds threatened to crush her ribcage. The magic-created abominations were still fighting one another, giving the audience a hard time to focus on a specific spar. Kory yet again teleported in front of Audrey and trapped the latter's cheeks in her hands. Audrey must have been hallucinating, because the nails felt sharper than dog claws and were threatening to cut Audrey's face.

"I might as well be the whole reason you're even here, Sugar Pie." Kory's whispering sounded too much like hissing and Audrey didn't like the proximity between their faces. "I mean, it was _just so easy_ for my poison to convince everyone in Auradon that Carlos De Vil!"

The venomous sank into Audrey, who suddenly felt the horrible words back in Auradon pouring in.

_You killed him! _Jane had cried hysterically. _It was bad enough when Ben chose Mal, but Carlos? Don't you dare show up at his funeral!_

_Sorry, we don't do murderous witches in the squad! _The cheerleaders had decided before booting her out.

_It's the Queen of Mean. Let's get out of here before she turns into a monster again._

_Oh, it's her. Remind me again why I moved out of the Isle?_

She saw bad memories flashing in as her anger reached its peak. She saw the Bloody Bambi bearing its fangs and the faceless red demon smiling at her.

_I'm the devil on your shoulders where your angels used to be. I call you the Queen of Mean,_ he said.

_I'm not filling any contract with you while that jackass watches._

_No contracts. Not yet, my Queen of Mean. I would prefer that you show that demigoddess what your made of. __**Remind **__everyone why you are dangerous. CRUSH THEM!_

And Audrey was certain that a volcano exploded.

"What the shit?" Jessie Joker found herself cussing at the bleachers when the next insane thing happened. The Auradonian was surrounded by a pink aura, followed by her blonde hair with pink and blue streaks morphing into a pink mane with blue tips. An unholy scream escaped her lips as her burning fists punched their way out of the stoned bonds and onto the face of Kory Lokisdottir. The sorceress was sent back by a few feet while the stone snake crumbled into pink dust. The Auradonian emerged on the rumble, her outfit now of black, red, and pink hues that moved like a raging fire, her nails sharper than talons, and her eyes glowing in a pink fury. Her steps caused the earth to shake.

"_Holy shit, this is insane!_" The announcer exclaimed.

"Jessie." The purple dressed princess stared at the equally shocked delinquent.

"Don't look at me!" Jessie protested. "Penna said _nothing_ about her being a raging she-demon!" As she said that, the now fueled up Queen of Mean had engaged in a physical fight against Lokisdottir. Hell was breaking loose and the supervillains n the audience didn't know if they should cower in fear at the witches' duel or cheer on for the Queen of Mean.

"Did you see that?" The other person sitting next to Jessie pointed at the dueling overpowered ladies as they trashed the field. Audrey still had that glowing pink aura surrounding her as she angrily casted spells at Kory Lokisdottir, but soon Jessie and the purple dressed princess saw what the individual was talking about: the audience probably couldn't see it due to the chaos, but the girls could definitely see a ghostly specter camouflaging itself in Audrey's pink aura. They definitely caught the detailed appearance of a red-suited man with antlers and ears pointed upward… and a sadistic smile that only rivaled the one that was beginning to appear on Kory's face as the duel intensified. "Shit!" Jessie cussed. "Penna said nothing about that!"

"And Lokisdottir seeks chaos like she usually does! We got no choice but to apply Protocol 47! Jessie, zap her!"

Jessie pulled out a red-and-black taser gun bigger than her forearm. Just as Audrey was causing the earth to shake again and pink flames were beginning to appear from the ground, Jessie stood over the bleachers' railing and pulled the trigger. A beam of electric shots hit Audrey, who found herself glitching between her two forms before finally going back to her initial, blonde self. She fell on her knees, shook her head, and stared at the ransacked arena. A majority of the audience looked relieved while some still had a hard time processing what was going on. But Audrey knew in a matter of seconds what had happened. "Oh no…" She groaned.

"What the Hel?" Kory snapped at Jessie Joker. "We weren't done!"

"_We _are!" The purple dressed princess pointed a finger at Kory. "I accuse Kory Lokisdottir of breaching Protocol 47, which clearly states that this demigoddess isn't allowed to take part in these tests if she attempts to purposely harm the psychological being of a refugee!"

Whispers were going on around the crowd. Audrey looked around and saw that some of them pulled out purple-colored handbooks, perhaps copies of those so-called protocols.

"She's right!" Somebody in the ground raised his handbook. "We DO NOT condone mental breakdowns on recently arrived refugees!"

"You saw that girl's powers. Obviously those freaks had her suppress them. Poor thing, no wonder she ran off…"

"This is an outrage! It's one thing for an adult serial killer to butcher a Hun, but a demigoddess provoking a magically-enhanced mortal teenager!"

Very soon, outraged shouts were growing in the crowds. "_It looks like the entire audience is agreeing at an infinite count with the declaration of Princess Noir on the matters of Protocol 47. For purposely breaching one of the few rules meant strictly at her, Kory Lokisdottir will now be disqualified for her incorrect misconduct,_" the announcer declared. "_And because a gang leader has summoned the protocol out of concern of the newcomer's welfare, the Queen of Mean will not be required to face the second part of the tests and will be provided with sanctuary within the gang of Princess Noir."_

Clapping came from different areas of the arena. Audrey glared at Kory, expecting the so-called demigoddess to rain her smile-plastered fury on her. But to her shock, Kory merely shrugged.

"Guess I'll be seeing you around, Sugar Pie."

"You won't." Audrey spat. "And don't call me Sugar Pie." But Kory merely gave her a wink before turning into an icy breeze that flew its way out of the arena. The clapping was now followed by cheering. Audrey tried to get up, but she found herself struggling to. Transforming into the Queen of Mean really did a number on her energy and Kory had shown her twisted sense of generosity by bruising her chest. Fortunately, Jessie jumped over the railing and caught Audrey before the latter could collapse.

"Hey. It's gonna be OK." Jessie put Audrey's right arm over her shoulders. Audrey could feel her energy draining quickly. Getting knocked unconscious, thrown in a poisonous river, sleeping in a cell, drinking Hun rum and watching the owner die, and fighting a demigoddess who claimed to have murdered her friend. This was too much for her to handle in one day.

"I'm fucking tired…" She couldn't believe she just used a swear word.

"Doze off. You earned it."

Audrey took Jessie's advice and the world went black.

**(Note from the author: yeah, because of the way things are going, I'm changing the rating of the story)**


	23. Villainapolis

Chapter 23: Villainapolis

When Audrey's slumber started to be interrupted by the feeling of fancy fabrics resting underneath her head and over her body, her first thought was the dreadful possibility that she was going to wake up in Auradon, find everybody else hating her, and be horrified to learn that her adventures and her friends were nothing but a dream. However, when her nose picked up the lavender fragrance of the pillows, she was relieved. She never fragranced her bed with lavender but with chamomile.

Audrey cautiously opened her eyes and saw that she had been placed in a silver canopy bed decorated by lilac-colored bedsheets, the bed itself being twice the size of her old one back in Auradon. How long she had slept, she wasn't sure, but considering how she felt no pain while sitting on the cushy mattress, her best guess was 'a long time'. Audrey felt her cheeks burning and covered herself: her body was covered in bandages and whoever treated her hadn't bothered to cover her.

"Relax, you're still a virgin."

Audrey quickly wrapped herself in the bedsheets when she heard a person speaking to her, but found herself relieved when she saw Jessie lying on a leathered sectional lounge seat and reading a magazine. Instead of the wild style she had back in the arena, she wore something more formal in a red-and-black tuxedo and purple diamond patterned necktie. She didn't wear her mask, but Audrey let out a gasp when she saw the scars that were most likely hidden by her mask when she first met Jessie. Now she knew why. Even with that clown white skin of hers, Jessie's scars were still dark enough for people to see that they formed the word 'BASTARD' and it was a miracle that they didn't interact with her eyes.

"Who did that to you?" Audrey asked.

"My dad the first time I met him." Jessie put down the magazine on the glass coffee table that stood next to the loveseat. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine… I guess. How long was I out?" Audrey then paid more attention to where she was: a penthouse four times taller than her old room, only three of the walls were actually massive windows that revealed the sun setting over a massive city. The one white wall in the room had four small levels that were connected by a circular staircase made of amethyst steps. The first level had a bar and counter, complete with stools, the second was one heck of a walking closet, the third level had small cushioned chairs facing a television and surrounded by DVDs, and the last level had what appeared to be a DJ booth. On the main floor where Audrey and Jessie were located was spread out a variety of luxurious items: leathered seats spread here and there, amethyst lamps, a piano resting by a corner, a dining table, a sparkling clean kitchen, and a circular bathtub based in the floor by one of the windows. Princess Noir was just finishing pouring in some sort of soap from a bottle and began to turn on the bubble-function. Bubbles of rainbow hues started floating their way out, and the presence of six other bottles suggested that the princess really wanted to create a scented bath.

"Eh, you know." Jessie shrugged. "Long enough to take you to our complex, get one of Noir's medics to treat you, get a more efficient one because Lokisdottir really did a number on you, put you under anesthesia so you could sleep, organize your fan mail, and now ripping our hair because at the last minute, Noir's mom decided to organize a cocktail party. So yeah, you've been out for six… seven hours. Noir, what time is it?"

"5:30pm." Noir picked up the bottles and put them away in a cabinet close to the bathtub. "Get out of bed. I'm not having you go to my mom's party smelling like sewage."

Audrey looked at Jessie, who gave her a head gesture encouraging her that ignoring Noir would be a bad idea. Why somebody would put a bathtub in the floor of the same location as the bed, Audrey didn't know, but she dragged herself to stand on the cold floor. Her hands still gripped on the sheets to cover herself.

"Hurry up already!" Noir was getting impatient. "We've already seen your Daphne the Nymph physique, so stop acting like a freaking ingenue!" A purple light show seemed to crawl its way through her eyes, scaring Audrey to run, throw the sheets on the ground, and place herself in the tub.

"Geez, Noir, give her a break!" Jessie got up from the couch. "She just dealt with Lokisdottir beating her like shit for no reason!"

"Whatever! You help her clean while I go get her a cocktail dress! Soon as she's dolled up, we go ASAP! My mom will KILL me if we're even three seconds late!" Noir made a run for the stairs to the second level, where she spent the next minutes frustratingly going over the outfits and accessories.

"Is she OK?" Audrey asked. She winced a bit at the tingling feeling the bath's water was giving to her skin. She didn't know what sorts of soaps Noir had put to give the bath the rainbow bubbles, but Audrey was almost overwhelmed by how they smelled like she had just stepped in the world's biggest flower shop for fragrant flowers.

"She went through a lot today." Jessie sat on the ground, still giving her a dominating appearance over Audrey. "Most of our plan was a waste of time, we had to deal with both fixing you and making sure her boyfriend recovered, and of course, her mom. Rich supervillains have a tendency of throwing parties to celebrate new recruits in gangs, especially if it's their kids' gangs. So imagine Noir's mom, one of the most important figures of town, seeing an insanely powerful mage who rivaled a demigoddess and joined the ranks of her own daughter's gang, reacts. Naturally, she's going to want to show it off by throwing a massive party at her place. And Noir, a total make-mommy-proud chick, is paranoid."

At this rate, Audrey might as well think that Villainapolis was the over-luxurious counterpart of the Isle of the Lost, where the locals were bloodthirsty and wilder. Oh, and a 'demigoddess' was basically Mal's evil counterpart, if you remove the old 'make-mommy-proud' behavior Mal once had and put it in the paranoid princess counterpart of Evie.

Jessie passed her a sponge, which Audrey proceeded to use to scrub herself. "I won't lie, it was amazing how you almost matched Lokisdottir. Like I said, a bunch of supervillains sent you some fan mail while you were sleeping. A lot of flowers and retail… and also some cards begging for a date before Lokisdottir ruins you."

"_Excuse me_?" Audrey nearly hissed and squeezed the fluids out of her sponge.

"Let me rephrase. Not a lot of people are known for getting her attention and seen again. We either never see the people they used to be… or they're just gone forever."

"I don't even know what her problem is with that so-called demigoddess…"

"Dude, are you slow-minded?" Jessie nearly sounded exasperated. "Her last name is Lokisdottir. _Literally _the way of saying Loki's daughter! She's the half-mortal, half-immortal bastard of the Nordic God of Mischief Loki. She basically _lives _for chaos and self-entertainment, which, you know, is a massive insult to injury for a decent supervillain."

"Jessie, get her a towel! I got her a dress!" Noir called out.

"Already on it!" Jessie merely grabbed the discarded bedsheets and handed them to Audrey after the latter stepped out of the tub.

"I thought that villains enjoyed tormenting people," Audrey said in a confused tone as she rubbed herself dry.

"Yeah, but with professionalism. A decent supervillain does evil for _valid _reasons. Most people here would tell you shit like 'I do this to get rich', 'I want to be on top of the social food chain', 'I want to get revenge on this douchebag', or even the frequent 'I'm an extremist but hey, I do this because I think I'm well-intentioned'. But villains like Kory Lokisdottir? It's basically 'I like being evil because it's fun and I treat anyone beneath me like shit or make them my personal toys.'"

"You know what I heard my mother tell the Bloody Countess once back when I was ten? Apparently, that she-demon's idea of being a 'daddy's girl' was to ditch him in the rock the Asgardians had him chained on while everybody else ran away from the Auradonians." Noir came down carrying a dress. "He's probably still out there, screaming his life out while a serpent drools venom over his face."

"And Kory just _left _him there?" Audrey couldn't believe it.

"I know!" Jessie rolled her eyes. "The irony is that he spoiled her during who cares when her childhood was, whereas my boss…"

"Penna De Mort?"

"Yeah. Her old man was worse than mine. _Literally _never gave her one fucking grain of love, practically saw her as only a weapon he could dispose of once he was done, and long story short, unlike Kory, my boss had every reason to imprison him in limbo."

"OK, we can keep talking about this, but we really got to get going!" Noir shoved the dress and accessories she had selected for Audrey. "Put these on now! Jessie can help you with your hair; I got to make sure we all leave in time to catch the bus!"

"Why don't we take the limo?" Jessie asked.

"On rush hour? After the afternoon mayhem the Possible Parliament and the Akuma Associates caused during their turf war northeast? Traffic will be terrible!"

The sight of the clothing made Audrey feel the energy flushing through her. The dress Noir had selected for Audrey was a pink lemonade sheer dress covered in black lace forming patterns of bird feathers and roses. The skirt of the dress was clearly past knee-level, but what caused Audrey such a turmoil was that despite the black lace, the pink sheer was obviously see-through. And Noir had provided an underwear matching the lace, a black choker with a pink rose, silver finger bracelets, a phoenix hairclip, and black ankle strapped heels. Audrey shot a glance at Jessie, who merely gave her a head shake to say that it was better to give Noir what she wanted than to get her more paranoid. So in the next five or ten minutes, while Noir was downstairs checking on the others, Jessie had helped Audrey put on the dress.

"I feel exposed," Audrey said in embarrassment.

"Nah. That sort of get up is popular at parties, and since it's a high-class shindig, they'll think you look like a pop singer slash supermodel. Oh, that reminds me… Don't freak out…"

"Why would I freak out?" Audrey managed to put on the choker on her neck.

"Uh… Well, your fight with Lokisdottir did lead to a lot of… exposure from that weird magic of hers, and when the medics took care of you, they kinda, totally, unintentionally ruined your hair dye…" To give her a sense of what she was talking about, Jessie ushered Audrey to the vanity mirror closest to the tub. Sure enough, Audrey was alarmed by the sudden appearance she hadn't seen in a long while.  
Her blonde hair with blue and pink dyes had been replaced with her natural, chocolate brown hair that waved its way down her chest. Damn, she had almost forgotten she was born that way.

"If it makes you feel better, I prefer you with brown hair. The former hairstyle was too much like my mom's. Plus, it's common fact that supervillains really dig powerful brunettes…" Jessie passed a makeup kit to Audrey, so while the walking harlequin took care of tightening Audrey's hair into a bun that she clasped onto the back of her head with the phoenix hairclip, Audrey observed her reflection as she and it put on makeup the way Ozzy had shown her. Noir came in a few seconds later, just in time to see Jessie help Audrey strap her shoes on.

"What do you think?" Jessie presented Audrey.

"Like a doll that's going to murder a bunch of assholes," Noir smirked. "My mom won't be dissatisfied. Can we go now?"

_Minutes later_

Noir preferred to save the introductions to the rest of her gang after everyone had gotten onto the silver bus that arrived at full speed in front of her complex. It was a miracle that the bus didn't crash into any jaywalkers at the speed it was using.

Despite how fast it was, Audrey nearly lost her eyeballs when she saw Villainapolis. Noir's complex was pretty tall and Audrey had assumed the buildings she spotted from the penthouse were also of the same height, but as it turned out, the 45-foot tall complex _had been standing on a _hill overlooking a massive city of multicolored metal buildings, and with all the lights turned on at various heights, it almost looked as if stars were emerging from the ground. In the distance, mountains circulated around the perimeter and there was the hint of suburbs based between the mountains and downtown. Streets, sidewalks, and other ways of transportation were elevated by glass pillars; when the bus drove on one of them, Audrey couldn't even tell where the ground level was. For all she knew, the underworld could be resting at the roots of the wisteria trees that were almost a quarter of the skyscrapers' heights.

Macabretown was spooky and the Troll Lands were festive. Villainapolis, on the other hand, looked like the combination of an elite, luxurious society merged with the apocalypse. Despite the beautiful buildings and advanced technology, there was the presence of some old-buildings with barbed fences, block-sized wastelands of ruins, ashes, smoke, or floods, and of course, the signs that indicated that most of the population was evil.

**Doom's Latverian Academy. We mean DOCTOR Doom, not Judge Doom.**

** Associate. We approve an organization for homicidal artificial intelligences.**

**Hugo Strange, therapist for the deranged.**

**Iceberg Lounge.**

**League of Assassins.**

**Immediate Murder Professionals. Demon clientele exclusive.**

**Adagio Dazzle's Musical Theater. Enjoy sirens while strangling the person sitting next to you.**

**Doc Oc. (Who cares what he does, he's insane!)**

**Nine Realms Club. Party all you can and lose your existence should you meet the owner!**

**Porn Studio Theaters. Single parents or people suffering lousy relationships, Lucifer sends you this present!**

**Hawkmoth's Butterfly Conservatorium. Will personally akumatize anyone at your request!**

**Aunt Figg's Bank. Guaranteed to keep your beautiful money safe.**

**Bergen's and Troll's. For the millionth time, WE DO NOT SERVE CANNIBALS!**

**WARNING! Parademons and Paradooms are dumber than birds and will crash on your windows! BUY PARA-ANYTHING-PROOF GLASS ASAP!**

And as if to go right on cue, two Parademons crashed onto one of the windows closest to Audrey and the others on the bus. The vehicle didn't even flinch, and when the bus stopped at the next red light, the driver stepped out to menace the beasts with his taser gun. After they flew away, he proceeded to wipe the blood off the window and got back in the bus just in time for the red light to turn green.

"How often does that happen?" Audrey gulped.

"On Tuesdays like this? At least 5 buses in town get lucky enough to wipe away some blood." Hyde Dent kept flipping a coin in his hands. The nineteen-year-old delinquent disturbed Audrey: his right side wore half of a blue pinstripe suit with white fur on his collar and sleeve, an evening shoe, and a black glove, his brown hair was gelled back, and he had a glyph tattoo just underneath his brown eye. His left side was a nightmare carrying a torn jean, a combat boot, half of an orange snowboarding jacket covered in typography patches, a white glove, his gelled hair was blonde with a silver streak, and the remaining half of his face had a burned purple hue. "The other 5 might just be lucky enough to have some passengers alive."

"What's our odds?" Noir casually asked. "I'd prefer that we make it to my mother's event on time without looking like dismembered vagrants."

Hyde flipped his coin and the trinket landed on heads on his white gloved hand. "Favorable again."

"Then one of these next days are bound to be shit." The only other guy of the gang, Eduard Nygma (everyone in the gang called him Eddie), spoke up sarcastically. Contrary to hide, he preferred to dress more gentlemanly than the former, although his choices of bright green waistcoats and pants and purple shirts was almost too much for the eyes and Audrey wasn't sure why, but Eddie was obsessed with having golden cuffs and buttons shaped like a question mark. Eddie was sitting next to Penny Cobblepot, his girlfriend with a keen taste in black-and-white Lolita dresses, wool tights, high heeled oxford boots, white gloves, a monocle, and fancy umbrellas.

"Don't jinx it, Eddie!" Noir pointed a menacing finger at him. "They'd better announce us as tomorrow's permitted! I'm not letting some wannabe take what will expand my turf!"

"_Right._" Besides Noir, Jessie, and Penny (we're not counting Audrey), the only other girl engaged in the conversation was the white-haired Iclyn Lincoln, who seemed more interested in playing a game on her phone. She almost reminded Audrey of Queen Elsa if the latter was paler and wore blue corsets over dark-colored tunics and knee-high boots. Contrary to the others, Iclyn made no efforts to doll herself. "Because every single gang in town are full of wannabes. Claiming turf should be _so _easy!"

Audrey felt like rolling her eyes. This was basically the VKs all over again, except these were more cursing-prone, violent, and talking about vile things like teens discussing the next fad while drinking smoothies at the mall. So far, the only one Audrey could really seem to tolerate was Jessie. The latter had put her mask back on to cover the scars. They eventually reached the sign of town where skyscrapers became scarce and an assortment of mansions, towers, and a castle here and there stood out. Vast gardens were surrounded by stone walls, the sidewalks were shaded by wisteria trees decorated by string lights, and the bus passed a roundabout where some drunkards gathered at a fountain filled with green water. Whoever jumped in it came out laughing insanely. The sight of the fountain actually made Jessie shrink in her seat.

"Reminder, people. My mom's throwing this shindig in _my gang's _honor!" Noir pointed out. "So please, restrain yourself! Hyde, Eddie, _no mind games!_ Penny, restrain your fauna-loving antics and save them for the next turf clash; _then _you can lash out! Iclyn, stay away from the bar! And Audrey, _reassure me_ that you're not going to turn into another raging she-demon!"

"Why would she?" Iclyn snorted. "The fan mail made it clear that even the older villains dig a teenaged powerhouse who nearly destroyed an arena while clashing with a chaotic chess player. They obviously aren't interested in the color of her eyes."

"That statement was just wrong." Jessie shook her head in disgust.

"I should be fine." Audrey raised her hands in defense. "I won't turn into the Queen of Mean unless somebody angers me."

"Yeah, I'm sure you got fans among my mother's guest list, but I'd rather not deal with the consequences of the smallest detail gone wrong," Noir insisted. "With the measures we took to keep your hide safe…"

"Better to read about the Trojan War than accidentally revive it?" Eddie suggested.

"Sure."

"I swear I wanted to go along with your plan, but that _green-eyed _demigoddess purposely hit my buttons!" Audrey felt the anger boiling her magic. Until her first near-death experience in Auradon, she never thought she'd hate someone like she did with Mal, a half-fairy demigoddess born to the Mistress of All Evil and the King of the Greek Underworld, but apparently the canine fur lover, smile plastered hedonist, sadist child of some Nordic god proved her wrong. Oh, and she killed Carlos! Why was yet to be discovered, but how that murderess had treated it like mere entertainment really made Audrey grit her teeth. "I'm so gonna murder her!"

Iclyn smiled in icy fondness. "How sweet. Baby's finally got a person she wants to shred to pieces. They grow up so fast."

"CASTLE TAMARAN!" The driver shouted as the bus finally came to a stop. The gang rushed out of the bus, with Jessie gently guiding Audrey. The bus drove off as they made their way through a dirt trail shadowed by wisteria trees and into a massive garden surrounding a black-and-purple castle. At first glance, Audrey was almost reminded of Auradon Prep and its garden, but the correction came in when she saw the strictly purple flora decorating the garden: geraniums in amethyst pots, rows of anemones planted to form galaxies, irises framing the outdoor pool, asters the size of pine trees, lavender garlands hanging from the garden hedges, and of course, miniaturized wisteria trees. The biggest garden space, the one closest to the pool, was decorated with fancy dining tables and chairs, a dancing platform, a stand for a music band to play what seemed to be the villains' taste of classical music, and a massive tent bearing a buffet and bar. There had to be at least 40 to 50 villains of all ages gathered. As the gang got closer, Audrey saw that Noir was leading them to some middle-aged woman in a purple and black mermaid dress, who was constantly checking her pocket watch. When they got close enough, Audrey recognized the traits. That woman was basically an older version of Noir, except the purple strands were turning grey.

"You would have been late by a minute," Noir's mother said flatly. "Good thing only a dozen other guests are late."

"Nice to see you too," Noir gave her response with a similar flat tone. The other members of her gang immediately proceeded to bow before her mother. Audrey was on the verge of bowing as well, but Noir's mother prevented her due to the rapid handshake.

"So you're the self-proclaimed Queen of Mean who rivaled that dastardly semi-divine bastard! I'm Queen Blackfire, _such _a pleasure to meet you!"

"Hi…" Audrey felt Queen Blackfire's hand place itself on her back and ushering her towards a big table closest to the buffet, with Noir and her gang following along. The table they reached was covered by a lilac tablecloth with potted lilacs and light candles perfectly aligned. Amethyst utensils, plates, and glasses were aligned with calligraphed name cards. Blackfire had Audrey sit by the cushioned chair with the name card 'AUDREY THE QUEEN OF MEAN' practically screaming at her. Jessie sat across from her, Noir had a seat next to her mother, and the rest of gang found their respective seats. There were a few seats that were void of any cards.

"I will not lie, my dear, that roughhousing you displayed at the arena was pure work of art!" Blackfire continued. "I haven't seen such an apocalypse since the last time I fought my sister! And I definitely enjoyed how you turned into a pink demoness."

"Um… thanks…"

"WAITER!" Blackfire's barking order nearly caused a waitress to drop the tray of empty glasses she was lifting. "Don't just stand there! Get those aviation cocktails my daughter and I prefer, Irish coffee for her troupe with personal toppings, and a poinsettia champagne for Queen Audrey!"

The waitress gave out a panicked yes and made a run for it. In barely a matter of seconds, Blackfire was snapping her fingers and summoning another couple of passing waiters. "WHAT ARE YOU HIRED FOR? Bring over some food! Deviled eggs, caviar, mini beef tourtieres, fried calamari, stuffed lobster, gnocchi, chicken alfredo, roasted lamb, devil's food cake, gelato, crème brulée! Get them now!"

Though she felt bad for the waiters as they ran for dear life, Audrey had to acknowledge that Queen Blackfire had a personality tougher than her own mother. "Are you the queen of Villainapolis?" She asked.

"Heaven's forbid, of course not!" Blackfire laughed. "I did use to rule _a whole planet_…"

"Yeah, your… ex-home's rulers kinda crushed Tamaran into pieces when they created their kingdom," Jessie cautiously said. "The only parts of the planet that's left for Blackfire and Noir is the perimeter of their castle."

Audrey's eyes darted around the garden, nearly reveling in its dark, purple beauty while diverse incarnations of evil indulge their night out. The notion that Auradon didn't give a hoot of natives while ripping apart the lands had disgusted her since the beginning of the trip; their concepts of what was deemed 'Auradonian' or 'Villain' repulsed her; the fact that her grandfather tried to steal a royal Troll's egg shamed her, but now the idea that they were willing to rip apart planets? Anger was causing her teeth to grit. "Perfect harmony, my ass…" She muttered.

"Ah, the good old expression when you realize that utopian-seekers have random people living delusions," Blackfire smiled as the beverages and food arrived altogether. "Do tell me. Is 'Queen of Mean' primarily your villainous title or did you actually try to take over those wannabes?"

"I _did _try…" Audrey knew that she was getting dangerous close to the line. Crystal had warned her that if they knew she used to be an Auradonian princess, she might as well ask for her head on a silver plate. But hiding too much details would rise suspicions, so she had to go with what seemed more valid with the way the lies were going. "Unfortunately, the details that led to my downfall at the hands of a demigoddess were nasty. I did try to repent, but all they saw was the Queen of Mean. And when I heard there was a possibility to leave, to some places where nobody ever heard of me… you can imagine where it led to."

"Nearly drowning in a poisonous river and dueling with another demigoddess?" Iclyn asked sarcastically as she drank her Irish coffee.

"Oh, dear." Queen Blackfire looked sympathetic. "No wonder you and Lokisdottir are at horrible." Audrey found it strange when the alien queen gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Don't think much about it. You are now surrounded by your kin."

_My kin?_ That was a first to Audrey. Ever since Mal had replaced her in Ben's heart, Audrey had received treatment that didn't make her feel like everyone else in Auradon wanted her. Uma may have related with her pain a bit, but that was it with limited sympathy. And ever since she left Auradon… Come to think of it, Audrey had to acknowledge that most of those that really came to the equivalent of friends were generally antagonistic, evil, hedonists, sadists, and occasional jerks. And ironically, those chaotic denizens had treated her much better than those from Auradon. And icing on the cake, the villainous residents of Villainapolis seemed to adore her. OK, not exactly adore _Audrey_; they seemed mostly to adore the raging pink-haired she-demon.

Audrey tried to ignore the thought as they continued to feast and party. The food was savory and richer in sweetness than what she had eaten before; she enjoyed the devil's food cake the most and she surprisingly enjoyed the poinsettia champagne. It was banned in Auradon to give alcohol to people her age, but considering that some of the guests were parents and didn't seem to bat an eye with their kids boozing in the dark of the night… Then again, maybe there weren't laws in Villainapolis. Occasionally, every fifteen minute or so, a villain here and there would be coming by the table, either to ask Queen Blackfire for something or to ask some of Audrey's time for either a conversation or a dance. It did help her keep track of the amount of people who might have an eye out for her: Mina Mind, so interested in knowing if Auradon had aliens (tragically, Audrey couldn't count any), nearly every single one of Hawkmoth's adoptive children (who wanted to either dance with or give Audrey a jar of black butterflies that could brainwash anyone to her liking), Doctor Doom and his daughter Victoria (both ever such fans of magic after technology), nearly everyone in the Possible Parliament (seriously, why did these villains face off cheerleaders as primary rivals?), a few immortals or sorcerers there and some other common (yet rich) criminals over there. There was one point, however, when Noir had to guide Audrey away before she could meet the son of a certain Baron Zemo, who looked _very _interested in introducing his son to Audrey.

"I'd rather you didn't meet him." Noir kept shaking her head as the girls finally made their way behind a bunch of asters.

"Not a fan of the family?"

"My mother is civil to all high-ranking supervillains outside turf war hours, but her side of villains and the baron's have a long history of rivalry even before your ex-home was created. You know, one of those 'we got the best villains', 'we fight the best superheroes', and even the weirdly occasional 'our stories got told in the best movies or TV shows.' But on the turf wars, my mom's league and my gang are high competitors with Baron Zemo's Cabal and his son's gang. Throughout Villainapolis history, our groups have been known of capturing the most territory."

"It's that bad between you and Zemo Junior?"

"His name's Zeniko, and yes, _pretty _bad. I mean, were gang leading rivals, but until recently, I used to be number 4 on his list of rivals."

"He killed them?' Audrey nearly freaked out.

"What? No! The first one's dad took over Baron Zemo's original organization but they had to leave Villainapolis because of civilian anger. Don't ask. And for the other two, Zeniko used to hate one of the kids from the Possible Parliament and my gang's former primary burglar. Those two recently got married and went for their honeymoon before permanently settling in Gotham with her family. But yeah, ever since these three got out of the picture, Zeniko has put his attention on our gang rivalry."

Audrey was getting the picture. "Don't go any further. If Baron Zemo is trying to act like my grandmother, then I'll keep my distances."

This perked Noir's concerned curiosity. "Your grandmother was one of those uptight old folks that had you think upper-class marriage was the only important thing for you?" Audrey's nod was the only answer she needed. "Familial pressure. No wonder you didn't want to get into the details about becoming the Queen of Mean."

"Is it that obvious?" Audrey asked.

"Believe me, at least 70% of this town would tell you that most of their villainy was spiked by their parental issues." Noir turned her head back to the party when she heard her mother's voice calling her. "Look, we can talk about this another time. Maybe tomorrow. I gotta see what my mother needs."

"Go ahead…" Audrey let out a hiccup. "I think the poinsettia champagne bubbles are catching up in my nose. I'll catch some fresh air here."

"Don't worry. Be right back." After Noir rushed back to the party, Audrey felt the hiccup again. She pinched her nose and held her breath in. After a few seconds, she found herself breathing normally.

"Enjoying the party, Sugar Pie?"

Now Audrey wished she had continued on with her hiccups.

Kory Lokisdottir emerged from the aster bunch across from Audrey. At Audrey's best guess, the witch hadn't been invited, thus why she was hiding. Still, she had taken the liberty of dressing up as if she had been. Her green maxi dress was decorated by woven blue beads forming patterns of wolves and exposed enough of Kory's cleavage to reveal the dark Nordic tattoos that went down her chest. Her stilettos also looked like they were made of wolf fangs, and though she had put on fancy jewelry like a vined headpiece and blue earrings, she still carried that wolf pendant. But what disturbed Audrey the most yet again was Kory's newest choice of living wolf fur: a long coat that went down to her ankles and fitted just above her curves. Audrey didn't want to imagine Kory enchanting the poor canines during her horrid fashion pursuits. She made Cruella De Vil look pettier.

"I thought we agreed that I wouldn't be running into you again!" Audrey snapped at her. "Get lost before you get reminded of what you did to piss me off!"

"Sugar Pie getting all burned up? I like the sound of that." Kory leaned in, her never-changing smile still plastered on her. Her pearly white teeth were shining under the moonlight, and because her smile was so wide, Audrey could see that the demigoddess' human teeth were limited to the front. Instead of regular molars were sharp, pointy ones.

"They should have renamed you the Canine Murderer…" Audrey stepped back in disgust.

"Wolves are a natural part of my divine heritage. Naturally, I terrified quite a bunch to serve me." Kory brushed the fur of her coat's right sleeve with those sharp nails of her. "I just happen to wear the skins of those who crossed me."

"Let me guess. You eat their meat as well?"

"No. I feed their meat to my familiar Carmine. She really enjoys eating the meat of weaklings, traitors, and people who have lost their value to me."

"I'm out!" Audrey felt like throwing. She hoped to make her way to the nearest bathroom to puke and to be as far away from Kory as possible, but the latter just teleported in front of her. Now this was getting really irritating to Audrey. Mal never disrupted Audrey's personal space or taunted her in such a manner and it didn't help that Kory was the evilest copy of Mal Audrey would have ever imagined encountering. "Just what is your deal with me? You try to fight me, you purposely provoked me into transforming, nearly causing me to hurt others, you invade my space, and you murdered Carlos! I still demand to know why you did that! People in Auradon think I did it!"

"Ain't it the beauty of it though, Sugar Pie?" Kory tapped one of her sharp nails on Audrey's nose. "Auradonians, _simple mortals_, have the natural instinct of believing that villains will go back to performing evil. I mean, you might have been forgiven by the officials, but the commoners are still simple mortals. If you put a zombie in the middle of a crowd of healthy humans, do you think the crowd will welcome it? Reassure it that things will go alright? Offer to help it and restore its humanity?"

"What kind of question is that?" Audrey slapped Kory's finger off her nose.

"Exactly! Because everybody knows that when you see a zombie, you either shoot it down or run away from it. So yeah, it was easier for Auradonians to socially shoot you down, run away from you. My beautiful poison gave that De Vil brat such sudden breathing problems, his lungs were quite petrified. And you wonder why they believed you were responsible! You, what, turned him to stone for a few seconds?"

Audrey didn't know what to say. Kory was really getting scary. With all that magical power, her immortality, and her ghastly choice of aesthetics, the demigoddess made it clear that her most dangerous weapon was her mind. Audrey's thoughts went to poor Carlos. Innocent, friendly, and the most darling boyfriend to Jane; the nicest of the original VKs and such a dog lover compared to his mother. He had even aspired to become a vet until his death. Just like that, his happily ever after was destroyed because Kory Lokisdottir wanted to mess with Audrey.

"It still doesn't explain why you did! He did nothing to you!"

"Sorry, Sugar Pie. I don't give away free answers. However…" The levels of insanity began to rise when Kory grabbed Audrey by the waste and pulled her close enough that the face proximity was the same than at the arena. Audrey unsuccessfully tried to force herself off; she didn't like how Kory's nails were practically sinking through the fabric and trying to pierce her skin. "I can be generous for settling prices."

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Audrey was so relieved when she heard Queen Blackfire yell after stumbling on the sight with Noir.

"A demigoddess can't have some self-entitled fun?" Kory smiled at Blackfire.

"Not when you harass my guest-of-honor, especially a minor!" Blackfire managed to forcefully pull Audrey out of Kory's grip. "Are you alright?"

"Y… yes?" Audrey hesitated.

"Noir, take her back to your complex. And _you_, you scheming silver-tongued semi-divine snake, are not welcome here! You know fully well that you aren't allowed on private properties unless invited and I _purposely _did not invite you! Leave before we force you!"

"By wasting the lives of a quarter of your guards or are you actually going to play dirty, Tamaran?" Kory kept smiling as if the queen's threat was a joke to her. Then Audrey saw Noir and her mother getting angry enough for fiery purple lights to appear in their eyes. The queen's fists were glowing purple, menacing flames; she could have turned her garden into a bonfire if Kory hadn't shrugged and turned her back on them. She kept her arms behind her back, suggesting no violence but offense as both her hands stuck their middle fingers up. Queen Blackfire calmed down her burning hands, though her cheeks were burning a furious blush when the demigoddess walked away whistling.

"Oh, she did _not _just whistle that to our faces!" Noir gasped.

"I should have ripped her tongue when I got the chance." Audrey gripped the area where Kory nearly sank her nails. She didn't need for Noir and her mother's shocked reactions to know that her eyes were glowing pink; she could feel the hate boiling within her. Was it possible to hate someone that much?

"Cross your fingers that your friends come get you as soon as tomorrow." Noir kept her arm around Audrey, though out of protection.

"Don't jinx it," Blackfire warned.

"I mean it! Audrey, they just announced who takes part in tomorrow's turf wars…"

"Obviously, your gang?" Audrey scowled. "And even as a temporary member, I still have to take part."

Noir nodded grimly. "It's a rule. And not to mention that with that freak show lurking near you, I don't trust you by yourself."

"OK…" What was going? Why was Audrey suddenly so acceptive of such a topic? While Noir and Queen Blackfire kept talking about a car to bring Noir and her group back to the complex and perhaps adding some extra muscle, Audrey felt all the negative feelings coming in: the anger, the hatred, the shame, the guilt. She had dealt with them individually for about a month now, but now they were forming an eruptive mixture in her.

Audrey didn't let it all out, but she wanted to so badly.

_I'm going to kill Kory Lokisdottir, _she mentally vowed in her head. _Even if I got to be the Queen of Mean to do it._


	24. Queen's Real First Turf War

Chapter 24: Queen's Real First Turf War

Audrey had been given a sleeping pill so she could catch some rest before tomorrow. To her satisfaction, it helped her sleep without receiving any nightmares.

Jessie woke her up somewhere around 5:30am. It was way before dawn, but Noir wanted her team to be ready for today's turf war. After cleaning up, Audrey saw the clothes that Noir had personally fashioned for her overnight: a bulletproof vest and armored pants designed with the aesthetics of her dirndl vest and pinstripe pants respectively, magenta gloves, and black sneaker heels with a rose motif. Audrey tied her hair back in a ponytail and Jessie helped her braid it. The two girls took the elevator down to the complex's third floor, which had been designed so the entire floor could be one massive restaurant and bar. But for the moment, Noir's gang was having breakfast at the bar, feasting on Earl Grey or regular coffee, berry-flavored pancakes, bacon, omelets, or salads. Audrey tried to slowly drink her way through her hot chocolate as she and the others listened to Noir, who brought up the holographic maps of Villainapolis.

From the way Audrey managed to understand it through the quick explanations, Villainapolis, being a vast land composed of numerous territories, was considered _a living being._ Every year, it altered its shape, causing buildings, neighborhoods, and wards to switch position (the only intact parts being the living spaces or headquarters of major supervillains and gang leaders). When you looked a map of it, it looked like a person undergoing different positions while sleeping, and this year the Villainapolis map looked like a crucified individual. Though any place could move, it would happen when _new _places emerged. Turf wars occurred in the start of the fall season and ended until all the territories were claimed; any possessed turf would belong to the gang in question until the end of summer, when Villainapolis would rechange the turfs' positions and propose new ones. Gang leaders would place claims on certain areas, usually rooting for the ones they already had in the past years to end the wars faster. Of course, diverse gang leaders would demand for the same turf, and every day, Villainapolis would 'randomly select' specific groups for specific turfs.

In the first years of Villainapolis, the adults always fought for turfs, but since some teenagers went on to build their own gangs, Villainapolis made turf wars more interesting: two juvenile gangs confronting one another and a similar thing for two adult gangs. Depending on what the gangs selected, Villainapolis named the turfs that they'd fight over and ensure that the different conflicts were as far apart from one another. In today's case, Noir and Zeniko Zemo's gangs would be fighting for specific areas in the northwest and southeast areas of the city while the northeast and southwest areas would be fought over by the Akuma Associates against the Totally Triumvirate. The gangs would have to wait until the 9am countdown to officially start fighting. It was banned for the gangs to kill one another, but the opponents' goons and field soldiers were fair game. There could be wild cards, in other words, villains belonging to no gang who could bring outside help to the gang leader they were associated with. The war over a certain turf would end if any gang member managed to find the turf's deed hidden in the battlefield. The gang would possess the turf for the rest of the year and the gang member who found the deed would be like the 'local turf overlord'.

"So basically, it's like capture the flag mashed with dodgeball, bloodbath, and conquering?" Audrey asked.

"Absolutely." Noir grinned. "And the jackpot of the day will be that rip-off of the Landmark Mall in the northwest… and that scrap of Apokolips in the southeast." The mention of the last landmark caused most of Noir's gang members to either spit out their beverage, choke on their food, or nearly fall off their chairs. Only Jessie and Iclyn looked unfazed.

"Sweet." Iclyn gave out a big toothy grin.

"Apokolips, are you _senile_?" Penny demanded. Noir shrugged as if Penny gave the answer already.

"How bad is the apocalypse?" Audrey asked Jessie.

"Replace the 'ca' with 'ko' and 'lypse' with 'lips'," Jessie explained. "It used to be this massive fiery artificial planet that used to belong to this megalomaniac that our parents knew back in the old days. REALLY obsessed with global domination and the anti-life equation that would give the user total brainwashing control over living creatures. Ironically, the leaders of your ex-home made the smart move of not resurrecting him."

"That scrap of planet just appeared in Villainapolis back in July." Noir clenched her fists. "Do you have ANY idea of the number of villains who'd crave to dominate this scrap of Apokolips? EVERYONE! If we managed to obtain it today, we'd know how to claim it in the next years to come!"

"OK, but riddle me this, how the shit do you plan on handling the conquest of a turf that A, Zeniko Zemo will obviously send out his strongest gang members to capture, and B, it's a NEST for Parademons and Paradooms? Like, EVERY SINGLE ONE of these abominations?" Eddie asked in a frightened tone. "No offense, but some of us aren't superpowered… or half-mad. No offense, J.J."

"None taken." Jessie shrugged.

"Don't worry, I had it planned out. Sane group dispersions on the two turfs, handy portions of goons and soldiers, and the Roman legion as a wild card, courtesy of Julia Caesar."

"Even better…" Penny groaned. "Once upon a comic book, the Roman army lost to potion-addicted Gauls. This is really gonna workout on a turf full of flesh-ripping alien vultures."

"Relax." Noir shrugged Penny's comment away. "You, Eddie, and Julia will be covering the mall. Iclyn, Jessie, Hyde, Audrey, and I will cover Apokolips."

Audrey didn't really react at Noir's decision.

"_Nice_." Iclyn grinned. "With all that fire, I'll be fueled up enough to cover all our turfs in ice!"

"But why are Jessie and I going there? We're human!" Hyde protested.

"Because, wet chicken, your probability skills will come in handy in such chaos. And Jessie's more insane than any of the abominations."

"And the Queen of Mean?" Hyde turned his attention to Audrey. "Don't get me wrong. You managed to nearly match Lokisdottir, but I don't think you can handle such a turf war. Especially if it might be your only one."

"Bummer…" Audrey got up from her seat. "I didn't get my title for branding. I nearly succeeded in conquering. And last time I checked, how many people do you know who managed to level up to that hag?"

Jessie and Noir both giggled, Hyde was stunned, Eddie and Penny were speechless. Iclyn kept grinning and patted Audrey on the shoulder.

"I _really _like this girl! Why is there hardly anyone with that kind of sass?"

_Around 8:30am_

The group heading to the Apokolips turf had taken one of Noir's camouflaging helicopters to land on top of the building closest to the navel of Villainapolis (literally where the turf was located). Audrey could understand why no buildings were built in that area. The turf was full of fiery pits, magma canals, stoned ruins, smoke, and the flying abominations moving or sleeping in different spots. Noir constantly checked at the edge of the roof to see if she could spot her goons and some of Julia's legionnaires taking position. Audrey, meanwhile, couldn't stop staring at the fiery turf. It almost made her wonder if Hell looked like this; it made her think of her demon, which she hadn't spoken to for days in her nightmares. Did he decide to give her some real space? Was he worried about her being here?

"You OK there?" Jessie's question nearly startled Audrey to death.

"Don't do that!"

"Sorry! I mean, I know you're expecting Beatrice and the Rock Troll princess to pick you up… Believe me, I personally wished you didn't have to be involved in this casual carnage of ours."

"Ah, it'll be fine!" Audrey brushed it off. "You should have seen me back when I turned to stone a quarter of Auradon's people. Besides, I'm not worried about your turf war."

"I'm also worried about… the unusual unhealthy obsession Kory Lokisdottir seems to have developed on you…"

"Join the club. I hate her." Audrey crossed her arms.

"_So,_ who does she look like to you?" Iclyn sharpened some icicles bigger than her forearm.

"Seriously? You're going to tell me that you can't tell what that hag looks like?" Audrey scowled.

"Emphasis on _'who'_ not 'what'." Iclyn strapped her sword-like icicles to her belt. "That witch is a chaotic nuisance, but did you know that nobody has ever seen the real face of that shapeshifting she-demon?"

Audrey gave a surprised look at Jessie. "What?"

"Yeah… ugh…" Jessie's fingers touched her mask. Audrey could imagine that if it weren't for it, Jessie would have gone for the BASTARD scars covering her eyes. "Her face takes the appearance of the person you hated the most before meeting her…"

"She took _your dad's face_?" Audrey growled.

"She takes the face of _anyone's _least favorite person in the world that will wind up second compared to her!" Iclyn got up and walked up to Audrey and Jessie. "With Jessie, it was the Joker. For Queen Blackfire, it's her sister. For me, it's this guy Victor Witherdale…"

"The vampire you murdered by smashing him like a discarded vase?" Noir casually asked as she observed the ground level with her spyglass.

"Yeah, that one. Long story short, nobody really knows what she looks like. We know she's _old_, but demigods are known to freeze their bodies and remain young outwardly."

"That's impossible, I turned Hades' kid into a hag!" Audrey protested.

The others didn't realize it, but Jessie caught that slip up. Naturally, nobody in her homeland knew about Penna's business in Auradon; Penna had made her swear on the River Styx during their phone call to not share any of the secretive details she had shared with Jessie about Audrey. '_Obviously a Muggle-born sorceress gifted from the magical remnants of Sleeping Beauty's curse. And the one that I inflicted on the family. Suffered a conflict with Maleficent and Hades' bastard that led to the latter wasting her mother's scepter's magic. The princess fled while the semi-divine fairy will seal Maleficent's contract. Kinda impressed by the magical potential she has. Can you believe that for a moment, Marius was paranoid and thought __**Audrey **__used the scepter?'_

_Oh shit, _Jessie thought. She realized that maybe her boss fell to her own obliviousness! Maybe Marius was right! With the way Audrey was uncomfortable talking about her past, her brief mentions about failing her family and trying to conquer Auradon, and her modest behavior about her powers… Not to mention that when Jessie thought about it, she _did _recognize some of Mal's features on Kory's face when she first confronted Audrey. _Oh great! The daughter of Loki knows that the daughter of Sleeping Beauty had a problem with the daughter of Maleficent and Hades! But then… Oh crud, it means that the scepter's magic adapted itself into Audrey after she lost to Mal! Mal purposely lied to my boss to save Audrey!_

This was horrible. Part of Jessie told her to drop the whole turf war, drag Audrey to Penna, and explain her own theories. Then again, it might not be a good idea: Penna saw Jessie with great value, but she avoided resorting to her for advice due to Jessie's semi-senile mind. She'd think Jessie delirious and Jessie was already proud of her primary position as Penna De Mort's right-hand homicidal clown. Killing Audrey was definitely out of the question: she was already growing fond of her and if she did kill her, she'd stir the anger of Audrey's growing fan club in Villainapolis. _Maybe I should just wait until Beatrice and Princess Osbourne come get her. The further out of my sight she is, the better for my conscience._

"YO, Jessie!" Iclyn snapped her fingers in front of Jessie's face, sending the latter some chills. "It's 8:55! Get your senses back on track!"

Jessie grumbled an apology and pulled out the baseball bat she had been carrying. While the four girls and hide positioned themselves, nearly every single skyscraper in Villainapolis had a billboard that flashed the livestream of a blonde woman with tanned skin. On her upper-left corner were footage of the different turf targets.

"_GOOD MORNING, VILLAINAPOLIS!_" Audrey recognized the voice of the female announcer who had hosted her match against Kory yesterday. "_It is Wednesday, September 30__th__! Time flies so quickly when you're evil!_"

"I keep forgetting how obnoxious Camille Leon is. Places people!" Noir warmed up her hands, creating some purple flames. "The moment the mooks clear a pathway, the faster we make a run for it. Iclyn, get ready!"

Iclyn cracked her knuckles and icy sparks went flying.

"_As always folks, if you're not in one of the gangs contributing to today's prime events, you're better off watching the glory from the safety of your home's television! It is ON in 10 seconds!"_

Hyde pulled out his taser sticks, Jessie impatiently smashed a nearby AC with her bat, and Audrey just waited.

"_6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! __**TURF WARS!**_"

Explosions could be heard coming from two different areas of town, causing the building they were standing on to shake violently. The teens regained their composure and went to look down on Apokolips. Circling the perimeter were a bunch of Tamaran soldiers, icy-themed or black-and-white mooks with guns, a pack of hyenas, and some Roman legionnaires; the local Parademons immediately stopped their naptime and went on to attack. What happened next was the first carnage Audrey ever got to really witness. If dozens of the alien, human and hyena managed to work together to rip apart five monsters, one single monster easily killed one mook. So it was hard to tell who was dying the most. At the other end of Apokolips, numerous Parademons were getting blasted away by some sort of blue sonic explosion. Noir and the others had to cover their ears while the glass windows underneath them shattered.

"It's Sonya Klaue! We got to move!" Noir shouted. "Iclyn!"

"On it!" Iclyn rubbed her hands, ran and jumped off the roof. A trail of ice followed her off the roof and the others hopped on, clinging on to one another as they slid down the ice slide Iclyn was creating. As they slid, Audrey saw random places exploding with lava as the battles worsened and more soldiers getting eaten alive by the Parademons and Paradooms. It almost seemed impossible; where could that deed possibly be.

_My Queen seeks to gain territory? _Audrey suddenly heard her demon's voice speaking in the back of her head. _I might have a good suggestion._

_I'm not passing a contract. _Audrey could feel herself mentally shaking her head.

_Not yet, my queen. Not until we actually meet. But I have a suggestion for how you speed up this little blood game. _

_What if I don't want it?_

_When you see what you'll be facing, you'll change your mind._

Audrey's head went silent again. The group finally landed on solid ground and ducked just in time; a sonic beam shattered the ice slide and would have done the same thing with their heads. On top of a ruined stone staircase, surrounded by a boat of magma, were four youngsters looking down on Audrey and the others with sadistic glee: a tall, muscular girl with wispy blue hair and dressed in a purple-and-navy-blue sleeveless battle suit that exposed her _amputated arms replaced by a right metal arm and a left sonic canon,_ a blonde girl in green Scandinavian armor, a robot that had been designed to resemble a young adult, and of course, the purple-coated, sword bearing blonde leader.

"Wow, look at that!" Zeniko sneered as he leaned on his sword. "The Troq Princess finally showed up!"

Iclyn, Jessie, and Hyde gasped in shock while Audrey covered her mouth in shock. The four backed by four feet when they saw Noir's eyes emitting purple flames with such fury, her hair got fired up. Audrey recalled how part of Noir and Zeniko Zemo's feud included the latter calling her by the slur word she and her mother detested. Just being called that word was enough to make Noir break a table, but putting the slur word and her title in the same sentence? It would only be a matter of time before Apokolips gained a purple hue.

"At least she showed up!" Jessie finally got the nerve to walk up. "And you brought a trio of wannabe losers! Did everyone go on vaca or were they the only ones available to help you put on your purple PJs?"

The insult must have worked. Noir was actually calming down and laughing her head off while Zeniko looked like he was fuming. "That would explain why he looks like he just came out of the shower! No wait, he always wears that bathrobe!"

"ENOUGH!" Zeniko raised his sword at them. "I'M CLAIMING THIS TURF FOR THE MARVEL MASTERS! THE CHILDREN OF BARON ZEMO, THE ENCHANTRESS, ULTRON, AND KLAUE WILL SOON HAVE AN ARMY OF PARADEMONS AND PARADOOMS AT THEIR DISPOSAL!"

"OK, the yo-mama party is done!" Hyde shot his bullets at the group.

"Ben!" Zeniko shouted to the robot, whose wires glowed red as he fueled up. As he charged red blasts at the dodging Hyde, Audrey found it ironic that some childlike A.I had the same name as her first ex-boyfriend.

"You wanna play, _puddin?"_ Sonya Klaue taunted at Jessie. She ran towards her, bearing her artificial limbs out like a tiger ready to shred its prey apart.

"That nickname's off the market, jackass!" Jessie sung her bat at Sonya and the two girls engaged in a brute fight that involved lethal weapons.

"Sweet!" Iclyn cracked her knuckles and summoned ice machetes, Noir flamed up again, and Audrey's hands glowed pink. "Noir can take the Purple Bathrobe while Audrey and I will make a shish kabob out of the Asgardian witch! Should have done your math, Zemo, by pitting four on five!"

"Believe me, I would have preferred that you faced off against Ghost Rider's daughter, but our wild card INSISTED to fight the Queen of Mean." Zeniko Zemo blushed _slightly _as he gave a small bow at Audrey's direction. "Please survive her blows. I had hoped of inviting you for dinner at the end of the day."

"First off, _gross_!" Audrey gave out a disgusted expression. "And second, whose blows?"

Audrey immediately regretted her choice of words when an inhuman force propelled her towards a wall numerous feet away from the group.

_A minute later_

It was a good thing that Audrey landed face first onto a wall and not headfirst into a magma canal. Her head was still throbbing as she regained her senses and got back up. All around her, the fighting was still occurring all around Apokolips. In the distance, purple flames, ice blasts, gunshots and batting noises echoed on the other side of the turf against blades, sonic explosions, red blasts, and green magic. The sulfur air around Audrey worsened as it turned colder, but still reeked. When the smoke cleared, an all-too-familiar figure floated her way down the red-colored stone floor.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Audrey shouted when she saw the everlasting grin of Kory Lokisdottir. At this rate, she couldn't tell what was frustrating: the demigoddess practically stalking her or the fact that she wore a living wolf fur cape over some dark green, modernized Viking armor. Her horned helmet covered half of her face, but the sadistic smile was enough for anyone to guess that her green eyes must be gleaming.

"You thought I was going to miss out on our playdate?" Kory's hands formed a green sphere with her hands. "Sugar Pie, I don't easily let go of my toys!"

She tossed the sphere at Audrey's direction. The latter held out her hands and summoned the stones on the ground to levitate and form a wall, shielding Audrey from the sphere. It did protect her, but the dent left after the counter caused the wall to crumble. "_MAY A ROSE GROW RIGHT NOW IN MY MEADOW!"_

Audrey felt the anger boiling in her when she recited her spell. It was definitely obvious when a monstrous rose plant with hydra-like heads grew from the ground and started attacking Kory. The demigoddess easily avoided them.

"Beginner's magic!" She taunted. She raised her right hand at the magma canal. The molten earth turned into a green blue, exploded out of the canal, and turned into a volcanic serpent that swallowed Audrey's rose hydra monster, burning it like an overdone shish kabob. "Roses are like hydras! After you cut the heads, you burn the necks to make sure nothing grows!" Kory then waved her hand at Audrey. The green magma serpent charged at Audrey.

"_I hate Loki's daughter! Replace magma with water!_" Before the serpent could open its volcanic mouth at Audrey, it melted into a lemonade pink river that flowed its way back to the canal. "_Stone, metal, mineral, follow the desires of I, your royal!_" The ground trembled and fiery pink giants emerged from Apokolips; some Paradooms flying nearby were a bit distracted by the sight and landed into a Roman catapult by accident. Kory merely grinned and gave out a sharp whistle with her fingers. Howls echoed everywhere, and soon enough, hundreds of wolves of abnormal heights and with sharp fangs ran in, piling on top of the fiery giants like ants forming ladders. Some of the canines actually burned to death when touching the giants' magma veins. Audrey paused in horror at the sight until Kory kicked her in the gut. She tried to get up, but the demigoddess pinned her down by placing her foot on her back.

"I just LOVE having this much fun!" Kory sneered. "I can see why Auradonians hated you so much! Even for a beginner in magic, you're uncontrollable!"

"Says the pro!" Audrey managed to grab a hold of Kory's foot and flipped her to the ground. Barely after hitting the ground, Kory punched Audrey six feet away. Pain went through Audrey as her back hit a rock.

"Because compared to you, I am!" Kory easily lifted herself back on her feet and walked towards Audrey. "Tell me, did _Mal _give you such a hard time?" Kory sneered when she saw Audrey's eyes widen at the mention of Mal. "Oh, yeah. I know all about how the child of your family's rival practically stole your life, and how she nearly put you into a death-like slumber after dealing with your royal tantrum! It's so pathetically easy for me to look at someone in the distance, feel the parasitic presence of old-hatred coming through their skin and into my veins, and bear the face of the individual's most hated target, whoever or whatever the individual hated most before meeting me! The irony in all this is that if I'm facing you while you see me as Mal, anyone else won't see me with her face talking to you but their most hated demons! Fancy it: in the arena, you saw Mal fighting you whereas Jessie Joker saw her father, Noir her cousin, and Blackfire her sister! Does make you wonder what it would have been like if Carlos DeVil had seen me? Would I have taken the face of his heartless mother? Anyone who mercilessly bullied him? Maybe you? Would make sense if it were, seeing as you were responsible for me killing him!"

_Would you like to hear my suggestion?_ The voice of the demon sounded all too eager in Audrey's head, but she didn't care. The anger was erupting in her brain and boiling in her veins. As the wind blew over the fiery wasteland, her glittered brown hair started to turn into her evil pink mane.

_I want her dead! I want this 'princess' to know who's the queen here!_

_Well, my queen, I would like to have you borrow one of my greatest assets. Use it for destruction until you triumph through the belly of the beast!_

The ground rumbled underneath her. Kory was too entertained by her own amusement and got close enough to grab Audrey by the neck, she didn't notice the dark tip of a stick appearing from the ground and right into Audrey's right hand. Without even having any primary thoughts, Audrey whacked the stick at Kory's face with unexpected force that threw off the demigoddess. Kory rubbed her sore nose and was actually surprised when she saw blood on her fingers. "What the…"

Audrey stared down at her hand. The long stick was none other than a long black cane, its red headpiece clouding itself in a red aura of glowing black glyphs, thus making it hard for Audrey to further inspect it, but as she transformed into her dark regal self, both hands tightened on the long cane. Her blood boiled as she felt the cane's demonic powers go through her. Audrey looked back at Kory with a big smile.

"Oh, this is gonna be entertaining… FOR ME!" Audrey stomped the ground with the cane. Red and pink blasts rippled from her, destroying some ruins and causing the magma to erupt everywhere, alarming everyone fighting that something was occurring. Out of nowhere, black tentacles with pink veins grew from the ground and started beating up Kory's wolves to death. The commotion caused so many things to break apart, the Parademons and Paradooms took the initiative of flying higher in the sky to avoid getting struck down. Everyone else ran for higher ground to avoid the erupting magma.

"Anyone seen Audrey?" Jessie panicked as Noir's group got to the top of a building for safety. Since many had taken refuge on higher ground, they had a view of the new ongoing carnage, where red and pink lightning bolts coming from the suddenly darkened sky clashed with the green wildfire brewing on the small patch of Apokolips. Pained wolves howled against the Eldritch tentacles rising in and out of the ground and dark shadows bashed their way through giant serpents like an undead tornado. Only a moron couldn't detect the rumbling from here to across the city.

"OK, this is worse than yesterday!" Jessie exclaimed. She was starting to rethink on her theory that Audrey had touched Maleficent's scepter; from all she heard, the Mistress of Evil never had such sheer raw power that could nearly destroy a landscape while fighting a demigoddess. "We got to stop them!"

"You mean we stop Lokisdottir from her chaotic rampage!" Noir pointed out. "I bet to you that she's reveling in turf destruction!"

"Uh, guys?" Iclyn got their attention. "You might want to see this…" And in the convenience of time, Audrey and Kory were at least fifteen feet away, floating in the air in what seemed to be a very engaging fiery fist battle. The Princess of Mischief was actually breaking a sweat, for Noir and her group could actually see the sweat trickling down the demigoddess' forehead, something that none had ever witnessed. A pretty disturbing sight, considering she still had her sadistic smile plastered on her. The Queen of Mean's state, however, worried them. Her uniform seemed sharper as if it had been melted and transformed into stone and her mane flowed through the wild winds in a fashion reminding them of a phoenix flapping its fiery wings. Held in her hands was a glowing red cane. But what seemed the most terrifying was that Audrey's lips were twisting into a big, eager grin.

"I don't know what's in that demonic microphone, but…" Iclyn began.

"Wait, what?" Noir shouted over the winds. "What do you mean, a microphone?"

"The headpiece of that stick Audrey's got! You know how my ice powers are, they need heat to recharge, and these are hellfire heat levels coming from that headpiece! You probably can't see it because of its cloudy aura, but I can see that for some weird reason, that stick has a headpiece that reminds me a lot of those microphones they have in those 1930s themed clubs!"

"Microphones? 1930s? Hellfire? Insane demonic force? OH SHIT!" Jessie realized. "We got to stop this before Lokisdottir and Audrey tear apart Villainapolis!"

"I doubt your taser gun would work… then again…" Iclyn summoned a gun-shaped ice piece and tossed it at a passing Parademon. The beast growled when it felt the chunk hit it on the head and turned towards the group's direction, where Iclyn casually pointed an accusing finger at a baffled Jessie. Jessie screamed as the angry creature snatched her into the air and tackled it to ensure that it didn't rip her skin off. If Iclyn thought it would distract the battling sorceresses, her plan worked well. Audrey immediately abandoned fighting Kory, who flew off as if the turf war no longer interested her, and Audrey proceeded to throw the cane at the Parademon. The sharp bottom impaled the beast right in the chest, nearly dropping Jessie into a lava pit until Audrey caught her. The cane moved and stirred from the heart to the belly until it finally flew back in Audrey's hands, a paper sticking through the cane. The Parademon fell right into a lava pit while Audrey and Jessie landed safely on the same roof as Noir's group. Audrey regained her initial composure while the cane disappeared into thin air, leaving the paper in her hand while the other held a shaken Jessie Joker.

"What happened?" Audrey frowned. "Jessie, why am I holding you? And…" Audrey cringed when she saw the green blood-soaked paper she was holding. "Why am I holding that?"

"Wait… It's the deed!" Noir gleefully bounced. "The deed was in the fuckin stomach of a Parademon!"

"EWW!" Audrey tossed the bloody paper in disgust.

"That makes no sense!" Hyde protested. "Stuffing the deed in the guts of one Parademon? Sure, I can imagine that it was for the creativity and to stir up more competition for the control of the turf but come on! The stomach of one in at least five hundred of those monsters and out of pure dumb luck, Iclyn provokes the one Parademon that happens to have the deed? THERE'S NO WAY THE ODDS COULD ACCURATELTY PREDICT A SERIES OF COINCIDENTAL FORTUNES!"

As if things couldn't get more coincidental, a helicopter came flying in. Audrey was still partially disoriented, but she caught very well the figure of Camille Leon rushing out of the helicopter with a cameraman on hand.

"And you have it, folks!" She exclaimed with a massive smile directed at the camera. "Morning turfs and one of the victories goes to the gang of Princess Noir, thanks to Villainapolis' newest darling!"

"Wait, what?" Audrey shook her head and got her senses back. "I'm just a visitor!"

"Who totally trashed an apocalyptic wasteland!" Camille Leon shoved her microphone at Audrey's face. "Any chance you want to talk to the viewers about how you summoned hellish forces to challenge the Princess of Mischief who happens to have a creepy interest in you?"

"What kind of fanfic shit is this? Give her space!" Jessie kicked the microphone off the obnoxious woman's hands. "She's had enough for a day! You want scoop? Go talk to Noir about the deed! Because _she_ will have control over one of the most powerful territories for a freakin' year!"

"Uh oh…" While they had been bickering, Noir had picked up and unrolled the deed. Her face had paled up from reading the deed's content.

"Please don't tell me that's the part where you realize that the deed is bogus," Hyde groaned. "Or worse, that by reading this paper, you accidentally unearthed the zombie of the guy who used to run this scrap!"

"What, no!" Noir shook her head. "It's worse than the bogus but better than Zombie Darkseid. It's a permanent deed."

The teenagers were too baffled to talk, but Camille Leon immediately took the opportunity to hoard the camera's shot. "You heard it well, folks! Turns out the Apokolips Deed is a _permanent _deed! A turf that will forever belong to the person who captured the deed first! The new owner of this turf would rise to the levels of the city's head honchoes! Goodness, folks, Princess Noir will be her own mother's greatest ally!"

"I won't…" Noir lowered the deed.

"Noir! You just conquered Apokolips!" Hyde exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"I didn't." Noir took a deep breath and walked up to Audrey. "The permanent deed goes directly to the first person who caught it, complete with the magical sealing of the catcher's name. But I didn't catch it." The alien princess patiently unrolled the paper. Audrey almost choked when she saw the perfect calligraphy written boldly.

**This magically sealed deed confirms that Audrey the Queen of Mean, under pure strength, magic, rage, and aid from her bonded demon, was the first to claim this legal document. Thus forth, Audrey is now the permanent proprietor of this sector of Apokolips in life and death and the Parademon Queen, giving her full power and dominance over the Parademon and Paradoom armies.**

**This deed also confirms that due to the recognized presence of demonic intervention, a yet-to-be-performed deal with a devil, and an arrangement organized by Lady Penelope Svjetla Marvolo Riddle, the control over the land and armies will be equally shared following the Queen of Mean's official contract and eventual marriage with Hell's Overlord Alastor.**

Audrey felt like punching herself.

_Since when am I betrothed to you? _The demon, whose name was apparently Alastor, hissed angrily. Judging by the obvious presence of anger and disgust in his tone, he must have been seriously behind on the news.

_Hey, go complain to Penna, not me! _In all the frustration, Audrey realized at the last second that Camille Leon had somehow crept behind her shoulder and read out loud the deed. Audrey felt her cheeks burning when she realized that the reporter had read the deed not only loud enough for everyone to hear, but also for the camera to record the visible angry embarrassment for the whole world to see. Being publicly embarrassed by getting dumped by a love potion-drugged Ben was bad. Witnessing him proposing to Mal was humiliating. Being rejected by everyone in Auradon was heartbreaking. But this?

"Wow! Ain't that a terrifying, yet romantic story? Do tell the viewers!" Camille Leon pulled Audrey close enough to the camera. "How does it feel to be both the head honcho of a mindless army from outer space AND the fiancé of an all-powerful demon?"

"OH, FOR FUCK'S SAKE, I TOLD YOU TO GIVE HER SPACE!" Jessie Joker punched Camille Leon on the face and swung her bat at the camera, causing the static to fly.


	25. Gothy And The Witches

Chapter 25: Gothy And The Witches

Though this story is primarily about Audrey, it's safe to say that transitioning to Gothy's perspective was an essential break. After all, it was her personal quest to find her sister Cassandra. And things weren't going well ever since the team split to find Audrey and get a head start towards the Seussian lands. Ozzy, Beatrice and the Bloody Bambi were facing delays due to an unexpecting landslide damaging Elvis the ROCKINGTROLLTOISE's shell scales; Ozzy had said it would take at least two days for his shell to self-repair. Gothy and Crystal had taken a fine lead on train until an encounter with a dragon nest led to severe train damage. The conductor made a stop at the Boiling Stones Stations, some landlocked location thousands of miles north from Villainapolis and a hundred thousand miles west from the Seussian Lands. Anyone who had plans to go to the train's next stops had to stick around in the emergency suites of the station's four-star hotel, with permission to move around and play tourists, of course. It would take two or three days to repair the damages and no other train would be stopping by. Sometimes Gothy questioned why common transports were so complicated in these lands of anarchy.

If things had been different, Crystal would have enforced that they didn't leave the hotel or the train station. From what Gothy understood, the Boiling Stones Station was in the outskirts of Witchachusetts (hybrid of 'Witch' and 'Massachusetts'), a landlocked community based on a giant island within a lake that had to be nearly the same size as the ocean that surrounded the Isle, nearly giving Gothy some nauseous thoughts. Crystal said that a massive portion of witches, sorcerers and warlocks lived there and a lot of them weren't necessarily friendly. Crystal didn't want to go out and encounter them, so Gothy didn't initially disagree with her.

Things turned to a turmoil when the hotel dining hall broadcasted a tad bit late the newest hit on the Villainapolis morning. Apparently, not only had Audrey gained a high popularity and got her own turf but was also revealed to have bonded with a demon… who happened to be her betrothed. Naturally, Gothy had undergone a turmoil of emotions and ran out of the hotel to deal with them. Audrey had lied to her, it seemed so obvious! She didn't know how to respond, since Audrey wasn't here and Gothy didn't know how long Audrey had kept it to herself. She should have told her! They were friends! Audrey was Gothy's first real friend, surely Gothy had some entitlement to honesty! Now she found herself crying in the shadows of the red pine trees surrounding the hotel.

"How'd you like some chocolate?"

A teary Gothy looked up, thinking she was being addressed. To her surprise, no one stood before her.

"Milk chocolate? With pinches of salted caramel, raspberry flavors, and a delicate touch of mint?" Now Gothy managed to pick up a near German accent in the voice that came at least four pine trees away from her. Gothy got up and cautiously stepped to see from behind a pine tree. Between it and the empty parking lot was a girl talking to a child. The preteen had her back turned to Gothy, but Gothy could tell from her small figure that she had to be at least in her early teenage years, possibly younger than Beatrice. Her small black dress with blue puff sleeves, blue and purple striped leggings, purple gloves and hat, black high heeled shoes, and curled hair might have given away a feeling of aristocracy. She couldn't see the gloved girl's face, but Gothy could tell that she was politely asking some child if she wanted some candy.

"Really?" The child asked.

"Made it myself. I only give it to nice children though…"

"I've been good!"

Gothy took a few steps to the right and saw some redheaded nine-year-old girl eagerly accept a bar of chocolate. This would have seemed like an act of altruism but even Gothy knew all too well that you should never accept candy from strangers. Under the midday sun, Gothy caught a glimpse of the gloved girl's brown eyes covered in blue eyeshadow, her dark red lips accompanied by strange lines reminding Gothy of a Glasgow grin, and her probably too eager smile. The child proceeded to chew up the chocolate bar… and scream in midway when she coughed up green smoke. The gloved girl cackled as the child turned into a redheaded mouse.

"YES!" The gloved girl screamed so loudly and gleefully, the flesh on her cheeks' lines ripped apart, revealing dripping blood and pointy teeth drenched in ink-colored saliva. "Another child to eradicate! I'll fancy myself some roasted mouse for dinner!"

Anger went through Gothy. She pulled out her silver dagger and immediately overshadowed the gloved girl. Another on her limited list of tricks she learned from Mother Gothel was how to sneak up on someone for potential stabbing, and Gothy's dagger went straight onto the girl's left side. The bitch screamed as Gothy pulled out her dagger drenched in black blood and ran to catch the little mouse with her spare hand.

"YOU BARBARIAN!" The gloved girl sat up and straightened her hair. Gothy stared confusingly as the gloved hands shifted her hair to the left until she realized that the hair itself had no roots. She grimaced at the realization that the monstrous girl was bald. "I'M ERADICATING THIS BRAT FAIR AND SQUARE!"  
"Fair and square? What kind of crap is this?" Gothy protectively held the mouse close to her chest. "You gave drugged candy to a child! And turned her into a mouse!"

"Give the brat back!" The gloved girl got up, her dark eyes brightening up. She hissed as if to prepare a pronunciation but took a step back and shielded her nose. Gothy sniffed the air herself and noticed that for some reason, a pinch of poop was added to the pine aroma.

"GET BACK!" Crystal had run into the scene. Her hands juggled a crystal ball the size of a basketball, but as it moved, it released some pungent trails behind it. The poop smell came from the crystal ball and Crystal was juggling her stink ball at the gloved girl. "Get back, Leona! Stay away from her!"

"GROSS!" Leona kept shielding her nose. "CHILD STENCH!"

"Girl, it's just poop," Gothy frowned.

"DOG'S DROPPINGS! ECH!"

"Get lost! Go back to that mother of yours before I fill the lake with dog's dropping scented waters! Or I'll turn you into mice and send it to Penna De Mort's pet snake through the express mail!" Crystal's threats menaced Leona enough to run away. Her side didn't bleed much and didn't seem to cause her much pain, thus explaining why she easily disappeared into the forest's shadows. Crystal got rid of her stanching crystal ball and used a regular, shiny one that she tossed at the mouse. The redheaded child appeared as herself and ran back to the hotel, screaming for her mommy to save her from the witches.

"I can't believe that you ran out on me and messed with Leona Ernst! You realize her mother is the Grand High Witch? I hate these Hell-raised witches, so self-entitled, hideous, and child hating!"

"That makes no sense." Gothy bent down and wiped the blood off her dagger with the grass. "Why would you have kids if your life goal is to murder children? That's like making a career as a hair stylist when you don't even like washing your own hair!"

"DON'T DO IT AGAIN!" Crystal pulled Gothy up and forced her hands on the latter's shoulders, nearly shaking the latter to the point of losing her senses. "Witches here come in mixed moralities from good to evil! I don't want you to get hurt! We already lost Pink Fingers, and I'm not losing you!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez!" Gothy removed Crystal's hands off her. "I lived on an isle surrounded by villains, some including witches!"

"Your witches were stripped of magic and babyfied!" Crystal rolled her eyes as they walked through the parking lot. "Need I remind you that anarchy reigns supreme? In Witchachusetts, nobody would bat an eye if a witch harms a human." She shook her head. "I might lose my mind."

"Look, I'm sorry for running off. I got… I just don't know how to react anymore. I mean, Audrey…"

"Gorgeous, as much as I agree that this is a lie I should have uncovered myself, I wouldn't punch the guilt stamp on Pink Fingers. You've seen Macabretown with its outright adoration for demonic visits and you just met Leona."

"I thought you said she was a witch."

"She is. On the common man label. But if you had to pull the world's records of magic and thoroughly classify everything, you'd see that witches like Leona and her mom, the Grand High Witch, fall into the category of 'minor female demons sent to make Earth and Hell insane for petty reasons', so they're superior to imps and average demons but inferior to Overlords. And I mean really petty! The whole reason they kill children is because clean kids smell like dog dung to them!"

"And I thought the Evil Queen and Lady Tremaine were stupid." Since Gothy had run off before they could eat, the girls tried to head back to the dining hall only to discover that an unexpected mouse infestation led to the dining hall being temporarily closed. One of the waiters suggested that the girls try having a meal at the Stranded Hearts Inn by the port and enjoy the evening fireworks and festivals (the locals were celebrating today another year of being separated from Auradon).

"Could be fun," Gothy said.

"No."

"I promised you a date, remember?" Gothy pointed out the price she had promised when Crystal had used her wish-casting magic to have a gargoyle fly her pesky brother away. This seemed to convince Crystal enough.

"Fine. But I'm seeing this as a blackmailed date and not the ideal kind." The moment they left the hotel and started making their way through the forest's trail, Crystal had enchanted their clothes to make them look less like travelers and more like commoners trying to have a good time: dark purple or red reefer coats for both of them, a beige and black riding uniform complete with tight pants and boots for Crystal and a red knee-length tunic dress with thigh-high black boots for Gothy. Crystal ditched her preferences for fancy jewelry and merely put on simple purple earrings and an amethyst hairband to tie up her hair in a ponytail. Gothy ran her fingers through her black hair, untied and curling its way to stop barely an inch and a half after her shoulders. She went through her purse and managed to find a loose ribbon.

"Why do you do that?" Crystal asked when Gothy pulled her hair up in a bun with the ribbon.

"I don't like keeping my hair down. Reminds me too much of my mother."

"Bummer." The trail ended to a staircase of stones covered either by moss or rune carvings and going all the way down a hill. At the end of it, a bridge could be seen going from where they were to the community of Witchachusetts at the heart of the lake.

"I already hate this town already," Gothy immediately declared. "The geography itself reminds me of Corona."

"Except Corona isn't full of witches who live in surreal and living architecture, wacky creatures, and unorthodox biases." The two went down the stairs.

"I still don't get why Audrey didn't tell me she made an agreement with a demon," Gothy said. "I mean, we opened up about so much when we first met. Sure, it was weird that she immediately jumped to the idea of helping me find Cassandra and she didn't even bat an eye at the notion that she'd never return to Auradon, but I still felt like it was the closest to a healthy relationship I ever had once I left the Isle."

"OK, first off, ouch." Crystal frowned. "Second, you're equally guilty yourself; even after the life-threatening encounter, you still haven't told her about your psycho little brother. And third, considering what Audrey went through, I can't imagine what she must be going through." The two stopped when they realized that the staircase was now going from a straight format to a zigzagged one with less structured rocks. They took some precautions with their next steps. "Most of the time, mortals don't even realize that there's at least a million different ways to summon a specific demon who'll expect you to pass a contract with the demon or else become the demon's slave in the afterlife. I knew this French guy who accidentally summoned a demon during one of my parties by riding a unicycle into the Bog while juggling jam-drenched brownies." Gothy gave her a skeptical look. "What? I said there were a million different ways! Fine, you want a better example? Take Beatrice's dad. He's technically a ghost, but he functions like a high-class demon. Say his name three times and he'll pop up for anything. Same rules apply to Beatrice as a half-human, half-ghost hybrid."

"Any chance you know the demon, aka Audrey's intended?" Gothy air-quoted the last two words.

"Alastor? Never met him in person. Anybody I knew with demon involvement primarily used words like 'powerful', 'slasher smiler', 'cannibal', or 'using power for his own entertainment.' Or even the occasional 'if I had to pick between Alastor the Radio Demon or Kory Lokisdottir in the category of evil psychos, I'd rather pick that guy because at least he has his own standards.' I heard nearly every single demon in Hell cowers at the sight of him, but on Earth, demonic witches and the entirety of Macabretown outright adore him."

"Guess he goes to Chez Lecter very often." They finally reached the end of the staircase. By the main road, witches and humans were walking on foot with suitcases, pulling chariots full of basketed fruits (probably for poisoning), or driving cars that carried barrels of potions. The closest bridge leading to the lake town was a Cantilever bridge of gothic architecture fashioned to resemble a serpentine ribcage complete with cement composed of a thousand eggshell pieces. While crossing it, Gothy and Crystal cringed as they picked up the actual smell of rotten snake flesh and eggs.

"He mostly goes to Beatrice's house whenever he's allowed to visit Earth. Alastor and The Ghost With The Most were very well associated back in Hell… Hell Hierarchy is so complicated… You know how Auradon is run by one family but is divided into kingdoms run by other families?"

"Yeah?"

"Same thing in Hell. Lucifer and his family run all of Hell but the Overlords run their own empires within it. Even Jareth doesn't understand how most Overlords die and turn from casual sinners into demons with god-like powers. Wait, I'm getting sidetracked! Long story short, Deetz family and Radio Demon are highly associated." Crystal counted with her fingers to make sure she didn't miss out on a piece of information. "Beatrice and her dad usually go to Hell in demonic holidays to visit him and Lucifer… Lots of favoritism at play since B.J hopes that Beatrice will be an Overlord herself…"

"Well that's something you don't hear every day!" Gothy freaked out. "Who wishes that their kid will become an all-powerful demon when she fully dies?"

"B.J himself. And Alastor. Besides her father, he's also her chief mentor in demonic mischief and powers, the insanely fun uncle slash demon godfather, which is, you know, the obvious contrast of a fairy godmother… Hey look, the Stranded Hearts Inn!" As if out of pure luck, the girls had crossed the bridge and found the Stranded Hearts in. It was a strange sight since the inn itself seemed to be annexed to an eight-stories tall castle, complete with Bavarian architecture, grey stone walls, and wooden beams that seemed to have been recently polished so its darkness could stand out. The inn had an outdoor patio with tables and chairs filled with customers enjoying their refreshments and their view but the semicircular garden at the back of the castle was shrouded by the colorful clouds formed by the planted wisteria tree, purple violets, reddish white roses, and pink carnations. The moment they stepped inside the Stranded Hearts Inn, the scent of thyme, ambrosia, and lavender mixed in one perfect fragrance delicately touched Gothy's nostrils.

"Smells good," she said, a bit too swooned. She looked at the main desk and wasn't sure what struck her the most, the fact that an orchid-colored clay monster was handling the machine or that there was a nicely sewed picture hanging just above the desk with the orchid-colored words saying '**Stranded Hearts Inn. Warning: the inn smells like your love. We casted no spell that could explain this.**'

"Smells a lot like you." Crystal was probably unaware that she was saying this out loud as she inhaled and took in the inn's scent. Gothy took a step back in shock.

"What?" _Smells a lot like you. The inn smells like your love. _Gothy wasn't sure why this was making her feel unhinged, but she got cut out of her thoughts when the front desk golem grunted at her. "Sorry. Table for two? Maybe outside?"

The golem led them outside, leaving behind a trail of orchid-colored clay behind it that got swept by sentient broomsticks with no arms but at least thirty different colored eyeballs the size thumbs, blankly blinking on the wood as it swept the clay away into a perfect sphere. The sphere itself turned into mini-clay monsters that proceeded to pick off the dirty dishes from an abandoned table.

"Wow! I feel better!" Crystal took a deep breath the moment they sat down at a table. Gothy cringed when the clay golem suddenly pulled out two menus from its stomach and placed them on the table. The moment she saw it, Crystal's eyes beamed at the golem. "Hey, the waiters at this inn are abominations! High class, dare I guess?"

The abomination nodded and grunted. Crystal looked at the menu and noticed the particular glyph and night stars used to frame the lavender colored paper.

"Oh, the Stranded Hearts Inn is owned by the Blight-Noceda family! I'm so stupid! Well, my best regards to them! Oh, and we'll both have the non-alcoholic apple blood cider."

The abomination nodded and went back inside in all its grunting glory and trail-swept-into-tiny-abominations glory. "The abomination employees make much more sense now."

"Reassure me that they aren't the child hating type of witches." Gothy looked confusingly at their table's otter vase filled with purple violets.

"Nah. Witches that used to be split into magic-restraining covens by an emperor that the Auradonians wisely left him in Hell. They now vary between sticking to one type of magic or explore a diversity of magic. A bit macabre, but generally morally-bound. I wonder…"

A fiery ball flew out of the garden and landed right onto their table. Gothy nearly fell off her chair, but Crystal quickly caught her in one arm and tossed a crystal ball that drenched the fiery ball with cold water. Gothy blushed when she felt the Fae fingers clutch onto her waist in a rather deep approach that almost threated to create holes in the fabric. Out of nowhere, a giant clay abomination suddenly appeared from the garden and stepped into the inn's patio, hardly scaring off some customers. The creature groveled down until its head touched the ground, letting the people who rode on it step down.

"I told you it was a bad idea to teach Amar that fire glyph. He's still little," one of the women said as she jumped off the abomination, carrying a small boy in her arms. Crystal let go of Gothy and proceeded to pick up the soaked ball.

"I believe this is yours?" She quietly asked and handed the ball to the other woman.

"_Lo siento._" The pixie haircut Latina nodded as she took the ball. "We're very sorry. Amar might have thrown that ball a bit too high…"

"Yes, it's a miracle you still have customers," Crystal retorted drily. Gothy wasn't sure if Crystal knew what she was doing by being snarky to nearly every single witch she met, but the green-haired woman with brown roots who carried the boy caught her attention. Dressed in black all the way from her dress to her makeup, the only exceptions being her orchid-colored hairband and amethyst wedding ring, Gothy realized that she had seen her picture somewhere on the Isle.

"Amity Blight and Luz Noceda!" She said. The thirty-something women and Crystal looked at her in confusion.

"Do we know you?" Amity asked.

"No. But… I kinda used to cut your mom's hair… on the Isle of the Lost… And…" Gothy didn't know how to finish that sentence. She had her share of doing home services for cutting villains' hair, but Mrs. Blight hadn't been one of her favorites. Besides the poor tips, Gothy had to endure the whole patient-rambling-about-her-imperfect-children-to-the-hair-stylist conversations. It didn't help that Gothy had seen Amity Blight's picture impaled by knives and covered by the graffiti 'TREACHEROUS DAUGHTER'. Gothy had once dared to ask her own mother why Amity Blight had betrayed her parents. '_She ran off with the human she was in love with. This is why I only love myself. Having to worry about someone else gives you wrinkles._'

Yes, Mother Gothel had uttered those words in front of Gothy. Obviously, it wasn't the same case with the Blights, but Gothy saw Amity Blight as the kind of person who took her life and happiness in her own hands after abuse had done a number on her. And here was that same person two decades later, married to her crush, running an inn themed on love, and raising a son. Great Golly, the son. Gothy could see the mothers' mixed features in little Amar: tan skin, mismatched brown and golden eyes, two-toned brown hair that started off straight but ended in curls and play clothes that consisted of purple other-themed pants and a THE GOOD WITCH AZURA T-shirt. He was adorable. And Gothy's gut pained at the idea that across the Auradon Wall, his grandparents would probably be repulsed at the idea of their grandson being half-witch, half-human.

"Gothy?" Crystal gently tapping her hair snapped Gothy back to reality. "You OK?"

"Sorry. Poor memories…" Gothy shook her head.

"Why don't we invite you in?" Luz gestured to the garden. "Lunch on the house, maybe?"

_Minutes later_

Gothy had to go through the scent of thyme, ambrosia, and lavender again. For some reason, the Blight-Noceda women were against using an abomination to go back to the garden since a second trip could make Amar woozy, so they went out the inn to go back to the manor (yes, the eight stories tall castle was actually a manor). As an abomination let them in and the family escorted them towards the garden, Gothy noticed the humble décor. Sure, some of the furniture looked either medieval or with a macabre touch second to Macabretown, but overall the Blight-Noceda kept things simple either for comfort or to make comfortable space for raising a child.

The garden had to be the best part. All the plants Gothy had seen were planted in a semi-circular pattern, giving enough orange grassed space for a dining area and a personalized playground. Luz Blight-Noceda and Crystal were running after Amar, who had somehow managed to sneak up on Crystal and steal a crystal ball she had juggled. Amity Blight-Noceda served Gothy some chamomile tea while an abomination brought in paella, devilled eggs, and churros from the kitchen.

"My siblings and I lost contact with our parents for twenty years," Amity said solemnly.

"I don't really blame you. Your mother wasn't exactly one of my favorite customers." Gothy took a sip of the tea; it had a pinch of lemon zest that Gothy surprisingly found appealing.

"I'm surprised she let a human do it. I'm sure you're talented, but my parents were always picky about only having the best and ensuring that their children would increase their social status." The woman sighed as she poked her paella. "The days when Auradon was formed, we were given the chance to live away from them. My siblings and I didn't hesitate to leave…" Amity turned to look at her wife as the latter struggled with Amar, who had tossed the crystal ball at a crow, turning it into a winged otter. Amity let out a chuckle.

"They wanted you to stop using magic, is that it?" Gothy tried out some of the devilled eggs. A bit spicy, but surprisingly delicious.

"What? Oh, that. Well, it was _one _of the reasons. For all its hopes of creating an ideal utopia and claims of being modern-minded, Auradonians are way too old-fashioned… And rather stupid…"

"They didn't promote witch and human relationships? That's stupid, considering the Fairy Godmother has a daughter."

Amity narrowed her eyes at Gothy's slowness. "Gothy, what's the first thing you noticed about me and Luz?"

"That you two looked like a happily married couple and sweet mothers to Amar, which partially makes me jealous because I never had that with Mother Gothel?" Gothy grimaced a bit.

"You're sweet… and I relate to your pain. But the fact that Luz and I, a _same-sex _couple, doesn't surprise you first?"

Gothy frowned confusingly. "No."

"I don't believe this; the Isle of the Lost is more progressive than Auradon…" Amity muttered.

"You're telling me the reason you left Auradon and moved to Witchachusetts… is… I can't even say it out loud…"

"Yeah, don't bring it up too often. Even after two decades, Luz doesn't like to talk about how her mother didn't want her to date a female witch… We were still teenagers when we ran away, assisted in the creation of this community, and worked for years until we made the Stranded Hearts Inn a success, settled, and raised Amar…" She shook her head, trying to change the topic while her wife and Crystal were still struggling with Amar as he entertained himself with turning birds into flying otters. "So, you're searching for your sister Cassandra…"

"Her riddled address ends with getting help from a guy with three hearts." Gothy nodded. "Beatrice Deetz is supposed to lead us to his house in the Seussian Lands but we got some difficulties because our friend got tossed into Villainapolis…"

"The Queen of Mean?" Amity guessed.

"You heard?"

"Hard to miss it." Amity created a luminated circle with her index finger and a magazine landed on the table. Sure enough, the cover had the imagine of Audrey battling Kory plastered in perfect contrasting colors and paired with the bold title '**WITCHES WEEKLY. RADIO DEMON'S BETROTHED TAKEOVER!**' "I can't believe an Auradonian sorceress, let alone a teenager, got betrothed to an Overlord by a curse. Then again, I doubt that Lady De Mort was anticipating that. Must have been one heck of a musical number."

"I don't follow." Gothy held the magazine in her hands.

"The Radio Demon's summoning procedure is calling on him three times while singing. Problem is, nobody has ever summoned him for a contract, not even by accident, so fate must have intended for your friend to unknowingly call on him." Amity chuckled. "Good luck to the poor demons and witches who swoon on him. How an aroace even managed to get some squealing fan clubs remains a mystery, imagine the anger!"

"Wait… you're telling me that Audrey is betrothed to a demon who's not only all-powerful, the mentor slash godfather of Beatrice Deetz, and a cannibal, but also a guy with _no interest in sex and romance?_" Gothy blinked. _The irony_, she thought. _She had no luck dating two princes, now she'll be the wife of a demon who probably won't even touch her. Unless he wants to eat her. _"That's creepy."

"What? He died in his early thirties and he's rather civilized for a chaos-hungered demon." Amity shrugged.

"Got you!" Luz had finally caught Amar in her arms and gave Crystal her enchanted ball back. "Sorry about that."

"Hurry along, the paella is getting cold!" Amity called out to them.

"Man, that kid is fast!" Crystal dropped herself on the chair next to Gothy. "So, what did we miss?"

"I was suggesting to Gothy that you two should stick around for the evening festival." Gothy glared at the witch, who had obviously pulled out such a random lie. Why would she do that?

"That's a great idea!" Luz gave a churro to an eager Amar.

"It's tempting, but we should go back to the hotel at the train station in case they manage to fix the train," Crystal shook her head. "And Gothy already pissed off Leona Ernst."

"I said I was sorry!" Gothy protested. "Excuse me for stabbing a witch who turned a child into a mouse!"

"You _stabbed _the Grand High Witch's daughter?" Amity exclaimed at Gothy. "Remind me again, how old are you?"

"Seventeen-and-a-half."

"You're still a child on human standards!"

"I think what Amity is saying is that we'd be more reassured if you two spent your stay at Witchachusetts in our house. You know, until your train gets fixed." Luz used a napkin to wipe off the sugar stuck on Amar's cheeks. "We know a guy who works at the station's hotel. Why don't we call him, have him bring over your belongings, and let us know when the train is fully repaired. That way you get to stay safely… until you leave and hopefully Ernst forgets she met you."

"Luz, her kind of witches _never _forget an escaped child!" Amity said. "Fortunately, they'll be staying away from the festivities. Mixed crowds lead to other witches bringing human relations and Ernst would rather avoid a party that stinks of dog poop!"

Gothy looked at Crystal. The Fae princess had said nothing, but seeing how she nervously tapped her fingers on her knee and bit her lip, it was evident that she was forcing herself to agree with the Blight-Noceda.

_Put into immediate danger,_ Gothy mentally groaned. _**Now**__ I know how Audrey feels._


	26. Witchcraft

Chapter 26: Witchcraft

Gothy had been used to a lot of things. Ignored by her mother. Hated by her half-brother. Perceived by VKs and other residents on the Isle as nothing more than a vanity object. Poorly received by her clients. Struggling with the past 24 hours because forces had pulled her first true friend away.

But struggling to keep your thoughts straight about your confused feelings while you were bathing in a witch's house? That was new. Gothy didn't understand what was going on as her heart struggled with things: her sister Cassandra out there, the unusual kindness Amity Blight-Noceda had towards her, and Crystal's latest behavior towards her. Gothy wasn't sure why, but for some reason, Crystal's transition from drunken flirtiness on first meeting to unusual protectiveness (not to mention that Gothy was losing track of how much time she had spent primarily with Crystal during the trip) was putting Gothy on edge.

"I must be out of my mind…" Gothy muttered as she stepped out of the owl-footed bathtub. She froze when she realized her red tunic dress was no longer where she had left it on the bathroom counter. Footsteps could be heard from the guest room connected to the bathroom.

"It's only me dear," Gothy heard the kind voice of Amity Blight-Noceda. Gothy let out a small sigh, but she wasn't sure if it was out of relief or disappointment. At this rate, she had gotten used to witnessing Crystal coming out of a guest room's bathroom without a sense of decency. Gothy wrapped a towel around her and stepped into the guest room. The first thing that she noticed was her dress lying on the bed. For some reason, a glittery layer of dark red lace with patterns of owl and flowers had been added on top of the simple fabric, and sleeves had lengthened although the straps had been removed.

"I did some adjustments to your dress for the festivities." Amity was by the room's vanity mirror, placing a basket full of pink magnolias, white chrysanthemums, red daisies, multicolored lilies, and red roses. "I also thought you'd like to have some help for putting your hair in a French twist. A lot of the young girls here like to add flowers in their hair for festivities."

Gothy found herself partially petrified. "Uh… thanks." She grabbed the dress and rushed behind the room's screen dividers. Fancy mahogany with paintings of golden barn owls and purple otters; one of these days, those women would have to explain the otter obsession. Gothy tried on the dress, unsure of what to think when she realized the dress had also been enchanted so it fit her, nearly giving off her curves when she stepped out of the screen dividers.

"Are you alright?" Amity gently reached for Gothy's shoulder.

"I don't know… You're very kind but… the way you're kind… I'm not used to it! It's so…"

"Motherly?" Gothy felt herself stiffen on the chair facing the vanity when Amity gave out the correct guess.

"I guess."

"I don't blame you." Without warning, Amity had taken a hairbrush and gently brought it up and down Gothy's dark locks, still wet from the bath. "I've been where you were. Our mothers both valued their selfish desires over their own children. Yours valued her youthful beauty and mine valued her social status." With her spare hand, she pointed at her green-dyed hair. "My green hair? My mother wanted all her children to have green hair. My siblings were naturally green but she had me dye my brown hair."

"Why is it still dyed?"

"Well…" Amity shrugged. "I was a HUGE fan of THE GOOD WITCH AZURA growing up; I dyed my hair green in this shade to match that of the main character. Plus, Luz likes it. And we swore to never let Amar dye his beautiful locks." After numerous brushes, the witch tightly pulled the girl's hair and began twisting it. "Yours have a very nice natural color. Like star-less night black."

Gothy blushed a bit. Amity finally applied the final touches before pining up the dark locks. "Thanks, I guess. I have my mother's hair."

"Nah, I've seen some pictures of Gothel under the effects of the sunflower. You might not be aware of it, Gothy, but when mortals resort to magic to keep themselves young, the magic removes the natural aspects of their features. Your mother used magic to stay young, and though she did look young, it made her looks superficial compared to her natural ones." Amity moved forward to hold up Gothy's chin up while she started placing in flowers onto the dark locks. "You may have inherited her genes, but not their effects. Which is why if I had to picture you standing to a youthful Mother, your beauty stands out naturally, in and out."

"Thanks… Ouch!" Gothy yelped when she felt a thorn hit the skin behind her ear.

"I'm sorry! I could have sworn I cut off the thorns of that rose!" Amity pulled out the rose and used her circular hand gesture to pluck it off.

"Can I ask something dumb?"

"No questions are dumb. Well, except from Luz, but hers are adorable." The woman chuckled.

"Why does your inn 'smell like love'?" Gothy air-quoted the warning sign she had seen at the Stranded Hearts Inn.

"Oh, that! Weird story there. A client accidentally dropped her case full of Amortentia Potion. Dozens of bottle scraps everywhere and we found out the hard way that abominations aren't highly recommended for swiping potions off the floor. The liquid stains were removed, but not the olfactive stains. After a few months, customers began to think that we intended to have the inn smell like individual love interests, so Luz and I just rolled with hit…"

"Wait!" Gothy almost fell off her chair in a freak out. She'd have fallen butt-first on the ground if Amity hadn't caught her and helped her back on the seat. "The inn… _smells like somebody you love?_"

"Well that's how the potion works. I don't recommend using it, though: its effects are powerful but superficial. It doesn't give the consumer real love from the one who procured the potion, but the potion's fragrance makes anyone sniff out _what they find very appealing_."

"So, kind of like the perfumes of the Spa of Scents at Macabretown?"

"Not quite." After putting the last flower in Gothy's hair, Amity sat down on the bed so her eyes could be at the same level as Gothy's. "When you fabricate a perfume, you specifically calculate and organize which ingredients to combine for creation as if you were the matchmaker for a marriage of fragrances. The potion's fragrance, on the other hand, is chaotic. Nothing is added to it to make it appealing, but its arousal qualities sort of… create a simulation in individual arousals. The moment they smell the potion, the brain struggles to process it until it figures out in the sniffers' memories what are some pleasant fragrances, they associate with the people they are truly in love with. Take me for instance."

This time, Gothy couldn't resist chuckling. "Let me guess. The inn smells like your wife?"

"Hilarious." Amity amusingly rolled her eyes. "But yes. When I step into the inn, it smells like Luz, and when I think of her and pleasant fragrances, I think of paper, wisteria, and espresso."

"Espresso?" Gothy frowned.

"Wow, you're strange at reception. You didn't blink at my relationship and now you think that espresso is the strangest fragrance that comes to my preferences in arousal?"

"To be fair, you gotta be an obvious bookworm if you like the Azura series, and come on, you got a wisteria tree planted in your garden. So yes, the espresso is a mystery."

Amity chuckled. "You are peculiar. And yes. Paper because one of the first things that pulled me towards her was our love for the book series. Wisteria because we turned the fear-inducing demon Grom into a wisteria tree during our first dance. Espresso because during the festival celebrating the 6th month foundation of Witchachusetts, we finally kissed for the first time."

"Did she drink espresso before the act?"

"No." That was all Amity had to say, but Gothy's best guess was that it translated into '_for me, she tasted like coffee'._ It seemed strange, but Gothy thought it more relatable than Leona Ernst claiming that children smell of dog poop.

"The inn smells of thyme, ambrosia, and lavender to me," Gothy admitted. "But it doesn't make sense. I'm not in love with anyone."

Amity looked at the door before then frowning at Gothy. "I thought you were an item with the Goblin Princess."

"What? No! I mean… she tried to flirt with me but she gave me boundaries! She's not… I can't… Oh shit…" Things processed and turned the gears in Gothy's mind.

_Thyme. _The scent of the only shower gel, hand soap, and shampoo that Jareth bothered to provide to his only daughter. The scent of the lotions that Crystal had let Gothy and Audrey use when they were sleeping over in the castle. '_Why thyme?'_ Gothy had asked. '_Because it kills off germs and medieval peasants say that it chases nightmares.' _Surprisingly enough, Gothy had slept well that night before she woke up to find Crystal watching her slip.

_Lavender._ The scent that Crystal had when she had stepped out of the shower and engaged in the conversation with Gothy back in Macabretown, about her insecurities when being flirted with and her problems with her half-brother. Obviously, the lavender lotions that the Deetz family procured from the Spa of Scents was strong.

_Ambrosia. _The scent of the flowers that the Trolls liked to use for their party punches. The same punch that caused Crystal to give some weird love confession to Gothy while under the influence.

The world suddenly stopped turning for Gothy.

"My god… Crystal liked me all this time… And I like her."

_Later_

It was sunset by the time the festivities started in the main plaza of the town. Magic-users were casting spells that caused lights to fly into the star-less evening sky, illuminating it with golden colors. An assortment of people was out, dancing in the open, drinking by the outdoor cafés, or playing games at the stands.

"Gothy?" Amity waved her hand in front of Gothy's face. The latter's expression had been frozen for nearly hours. "GOTHY!"

"Uh?" Gothy snapped out of her daze.

"I'm worried about you. You haven't said a word since we left the house." Amity helped Amar sit up on the table and let him play with the skeletal plush animal she had just won for him. Gothy realized that the skeletal plush animal was that of an otter. For a kid, Amar had dark tastes.

"What am I supposed to say? I don't even know what to do! All this time, I've been dismissing her and now I find out that I actually like her! Do you realize that getting such sentiments wasn't in my agenda when I made it my goal to find my sister? It never occurred to me that I might get involved as such!"

"Join the club. Do you think that when I was slightly younger than you, it was in my agenda for my only source of happiness in my entire childhood to be my first crush on a female human?" Amity replied in a dry tone. "And Luz was ridiculously oblivious for nearly a whole season! Take it from someone with similar experiences!" The two of them stared at the plaza's marble Venus flytrap fountain, where Crystal was chatting with Luz Blight-Noceda and some other folks with musicians. Luz was holding on to a Spanish guitar and adjusting the strings. Unbeknownst to Amity and Gothy, Crystal and Luz were engaged in a rather similar conversation.

"So, what's stopping you from fully telling her?" Luz asked Crystal. "You know, without being drunk?"

"My senses," Crystal responded flatly.

"Your… senses?"

"I may be the Goblin Princess, but I've made it clear I'm nothing like Jareth. You know how shamelessly he pursued the one who refused him, stole some of her blood without consent, and created me. I'm a pathetic hedonist… and I've been breaking out of it ever since I met Gothy Gothel. Everything in her is special… and I don't deserve her."

"You don't know unless you tell her."  
"What would be the point anyway? Even if she did return what I feel for her, I'm a Fae. A Fae with delayed aging; I mean, for fuck's sake, I'm practically in my thirties but I look like a teenager! I can't just ask her to throw away her mortality for me!"

"You can't surrender your immortality?" Luz guessed.

"Fae aren't immortal. Sure, we age slower and live longer than humans, which preserves our youths, but there's still the list of stuff that can kill us." Crystal sighed. "Besides, she only wants her sister's love. There wouldn't be any room for mine." Unknown to Crystal, Luz sent a wink at her wife. Amity nodded and started dragging Gothy into the open space as some of the townsfolk started gathering for the next dance.

"Ask her to dance."

"_Excuse me?_" Crystal choked.

"Ask your _chica _to dance with you!" Out of nowhere, Luz pulled out one of her glyph cards. She tossed and tapped it onto the ground, creating an immerging pillar of ice that pushed Crystal towards the dance floor. Amity and Luz must have had a telepathic communication, because the next thing yo knew, Amity 'accidentally bumped Gothy' when she 'casually turned to talk to Sarah Sanderson', leading Gothy to tumble as well. Both girls ran into each other. "I'm so sorry!" They blurted.

"Did I hurt you?" Crystal helped Gothy back up.

"No… no, I'm good."

They realized too late that they were right on the middle of the dance floor, in the midst of the various. By the fountain, Luz Blight-Noceda started playing some soft jazz tunes, leading the musicians to follow along.

"You… want to dance?" Crystal quietly asked.

"Well… It's not like we can just leave." Gothy chuckled nervously.

"I guess." The Fae smiled. She kept a gentle hand on Gothy's waist while the other took her right hand. Though Gothy hadn't done much slow dancing in her life, she had seen the poses performed by the few sappy couples on the Isle, so she knew where to place her spare hand and follow after Crystal's steps while Luz Blight-Noceda sang the Spanish version of Frank Sinatra's '_Witchcraft'._

Luz: _¿Están esos dedos en mi cabello? _

_Que astuto vienen aquí miran _

_Desnuda mi conciencia _

_Es brujería _

"Gothy? Why are you looking at me like I'm a goblin?" Crystal asked as she gently spun Gothy during their dance.

"I don't know," Gothy admitted.

Luz: _Y no tengo defensa para eso _

_Ese calor es demasiado intenso para eso _

_¿De qué le serviría el sentido común? _

Gothy felt like her heart had turned into a rock, weighing her chest down to perhaps crush her bones. Was it even worth the risk? For all she knew, Crystal could wind up being just like all the other VKs who had three second crushes on Gothy just for her looks.

Luz: _Porque es brujería _

_Brujería malvada _

_Y aunque sé que es estrictamente tabú _

"I… never really slow danced in my life," Crystal said quietly. "It always reminded me of the drugged peach affair and Sarah wound up in a sparkling dress, slow dancing with my father in his fancy ball illusion."

"I guess it's slightly creepy," Gothy said. "I mean, when your dad did it. Did he force you to learn it?"

Luz: _Cuando despiertas la necesidad en mi _

_Mi corazón dice: sí, de hecho en mí _

_Continúa con lo que me estás llevando a _

"Princesses are always forced to learn fancy dances," Crystal shrugged. "I was either uncomfortable when Jareth gave me lessons or too drunk to even notice when I had parties… Dang, I haven't had any booze in a while and you put me at ease. Is that… creepy?"

Luz: _Es un tono tan antiguo _

_Pero uno que nunca cambio_

_No hay bruja mejor que tu _

"Of course not!" Gothy shook her head. Probably not the best idea since they were dancing. Witches had been releasing small balls of lights into the air for the slow dance, making it look like golden stars flying back into the dark sky. For Gothy, it caused her to see lights spinning around her, giving the vibe of the spinning world. "You're not creepy. I mean, it was a rough start, but…"

Luz: _Porque es brujería _

_Esa brujería coocoo _

_Y aunque sé que es estrictamente tabú_

"But what?" Crystal asked as they kept dancing, deviating away from the center of the dancing crowd and closer to the shadowed corners of the plaza. The floating lights seemed to act as a curtain, it's as if no one in the party noticed that they stopped dancing.

"I… just don't know what to think. I'm not used to being…" Gothy was losing track of herself. Her dizziness made her unable to realize that she spilled out the rest of the sentence out loud. "…in love." Gothy got her senses back and saw a longing look coming out of Crystal's brown eyes. Compared to Gothy's, they actually happened to have mismatched brown colors that Gothy hadn't realized until the floating lights reflected on them. While a hand still rested on Gothy's waist, the other went to gently caress her chin, slightly lifting it so both chins could be at the same level.

"Gorgeous in and out…" Crystal sighed with a smile. "I still can't believe how you turned my world…"

"C… Crystal?" Gothy couldn't understand it, but every cell in her muscles shivered.

Luz: _Cuando despiertas la necesidad en mi _

_Mi corazón dice: sí, de hecho en mí _

_Continúa con lo que me estás llevando a _

Having no experience as such in the past, Gothy didn't know how to react when Crystal moved in and placed a gentle kiss on her mortal lips. In a matter of seconds, her beating heart could have destroyed her ribcage and immobilized her arms as her hands rested on Crystal's shoulders. She had to hold on since she couldn't feel her own legs. Gothy wasn't sure if it was enamored bliss or insecure fear that overwhelmed her the most while Crystal kept kissing her, protective hands on her and lips taking a breather for ten mere seconds before pressing again.

Luz: _Es un tono tan antiguo _

_Pero uno que nunca cambiaría _

_Porque no hay bruja mejor que tú_

In the end, Gothy's insecure fear took over. Crystal had gone from gentle pecks to nibbling Gothy's lower lip. Then the kissing got a bit bigger; more passionate.

"No…" Gothy pulled herself away from Crystal. "I can't…"

"Gothy…" Crystal tried to reach out for her.

Luz: _Que tú _

_Que tú _

_Ooh, eres una buena bruja_

"I'm sorry! I can't!" Gothy ran off into the streets, taking the route back to the Stranded Hearts Inn. She just couldn't do it. The fears were just overwhelming her. What if her emotions were false and she wound up like Mother Gothel, going fling after fling, only caring about the vain pleasures until she got saddled with children she didn't love? What if Crystal changed her mind and saw Gothy as a mere plaything? What if Gothy was forced to choose between her sister and her possible crush? And Audrey? Gothy had managed to learn first-hand about the things Auradon didn't tolerate. What if her first real friend turned her back in disgust because of Gothy's newfound love?

Gothy was too distracted by her fears while she ran that by the time she was a few feet in front of the closed inn, she only realized that she had been followed when someone slapped her on the face, knocking her on the ground. Gothy regained herself and felt the blood trickling on her face. Whoever slapped her also gave her three nasty scratches on her cheek.

"Look at what you made me do! I scratched that smelly, pretty face of yours!" Leona Ernst stomped her foot on the ground. With the few lampposts illuminating the street, Gothy noticed that Leona was now sporting a blonde wig and still dressed entirely in black. She lacked the gloves, however, revealing the total of six long, lean clawed fingers she had, her right claws coated by Gothy's blood. As if to taunt Gothy, Leona opened her elongated, sharp toothed mouth and used her forked tongue to lick the blood off her nails. "For a filthy child, you taste good."

"What's with your accent?" Gothy noted that for some reason, the German accent Leona Ernst had in their first encounter was replaced by a Norwegian one.

"Seriously? This is your first priority?" Leona muttered. "You're like the imbeciles out there who ask if I prefer my mother looking like Angelica Huston or Anne Hathaway! Can nobody be neutral-minded these days?"

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about." Gothy struggled to get back up. She cringed when she tried to rub the blood off her face, pain taking in. Leona's scratching was very similar to those of a wild animal, it's a miracle that the claws hadn't pierced through Gothy's skull. "Heck, I don't really care what you hope to look like in the scales of vanity! You still sound like the savage monster I met earlier who tried to eat a child!"

"Thank you, that's the nicest thing any nasty child has ever told me!" Leona gave an elongated smile at Gothy. Just how many teeth did that witch have yet could pass off as a regular-toothed human when the Glasgow Grin was closed.

"You're such a hypocrite… I mean, why do you even exist if your species hates children? And isn't the whole ordeal stupid? A child witch who kills human children just because of personal hygiene problems?"

"A lot of people ask that since a lot of witches in this county support interspecies relationships. Here's the catch though…" In less than five seconds, Leona's arms suddenly elongated themselves, causing a series of disturbing bone-cracking sounds as she grabbed Gothy by the neck and shoved her onto the wall. Gothy groaned as she felt the six claws threatening to pierce through her skin and crush her pipes. Leona pulled herself forward, causing more bone-cracking sounds as her arms reached their usual lengths.

"See, my type of witches come directly out of Hell. Why in this strange chaotic of good and evil that the universe has invented, I don't know and I don't care. You just know when you were invented for a purpose, and I was invented to follow my mother's footsteps. Spread admiration and terror as the leading model for our sort of witches and purge the world of children so their souls can be further tortured in Hell!"

"Gee, and I thought children were the epitome of innocence!" Gothy chocked out a sarcastic joke.

"What, the human parasites who are sinful the moment they are breastfed? The brats who constantly whine, break your stuff, expect the world to focus on them, are spoiled by parents, and expect life to be full of cupcakes and rainbows? The brats who smell like dog poop after each bath, which makes walking outside unbearable? Yeah, I suppose they're innocent for idiotic humans!" Leona practically shouted. "You aren't even an exception! I know what you are from your stench! A brat from the Isle of the Lost!"

Gothy's brown eyes widened in shock. "How…"

"What, you think that because I was born in Witchachusetts, I don't know that dog poop stench is stronger when it comes from the West? Do you know how often I stalked children coming from the station with their refugee parents and I have to vomit in the woods because the ridiculous Auradonian soap they used all their life makes me gag because the brats smell like a thousand piles of dog poop? You're from the Isle, you probably barely had a decent bath in your life! You started taking longer showers since you left and I can tell you're a hair neat freak! You don't stink as badly as the child I lured in this morning, but I smelled a portion of dog poop coming from your hair!"

"Uh… thanks?" Gothy choked.

"You're welcome." Leona partially calmed down, but she still kept baring her teeth. "But my problem with you isn't your stench but that _you stabbed me _while I was doing my purpose!"

"Oh, sue me if I have standards!" Gothy spat some blood at Leona's face.

"Exactly! And when I sue people, I kill them! Well, I do pull strings in advance, so I know specifically where to send those I kill in Hell!" Leona cackled. "Bad part, I might rip off some flesh when I bite you to death on. Good part, in a matter of weeks, I can go to Villainapolis and watch the next high-grossing flick from the Porn Studios! Staring Gothy Gothel from the Isle of the Lost! The creepy moth really knows how to handle the souls that my mother and I sued! I lost track of all the DVDs I purchased!"

Gothy now felt like she might hyperventilate. Getting killed by a witch for petty reasons was one thing, but getting her dead soul sold by that same witch to some freak who'd take advantage of her 'pretty face'? That just made her running away from a kiss pathetic.

Leona forced Gothy on the wall, one hand practically pulling her hair while the other clenched underneath her chin, exposing her bleeding neck. The young witch prepared for the plunge until she suddenly dissolved into a shower of purple glitter. Gothy choked and looked confusingly as the glitter disappeared and all that was left of Leona Ernst was a purple plush otter toy.

Crystal was ten feet away from her, and judging by her position, she had KO-ed the young witch with a crystal ball. The Blight-Noceda family came running in from the street.

"Here you go, Amar." Crystal sweetly gave the toy to Amar. "An evil witch tried to hurt Gothy. I turned her into a toy. You can hurt it as much as you want."

"Thank you." Amar smiled as he took the toy and showed it to Luz. "_¿__Puedo llenarle la barriga de arañas, mami?"_ (Can I fill its belly with spiders, Mommy?)

"Crystal…" Gothy coughed out some more blood. Crystal gently scooped her in her arms, causing Gothy to blush underneath her bloody cheek.

"It's over. Come on, let's get you inside."

_Later_

A lot of alcohol rubbing and stitching had been applied on Gothy. After taking a bath and getting ready for bed, Gothy noted the scars that were beginning to appear. It was rather ironic when she saw her reflection in the vanity mirror: her cheek and neck would have permanent scars yet the injuries' colors barely stood out on her skin. She wasn't disfigured (and Amity reassured her that she wouldn't get some side-effect infection) but Gothy couldn't understand why gaining scars barely did a number on her appearance the way massive stress and hormone problems could lead to acne in adulthood. Gothy touched the stitched scars on her cheek. They even felt like real skin, only causing her to cringe a bit.

The bedroom door swung open and in came Crystal with two cups full of warm tea. Gothy didn't even jump in startlement. At this rate, she was used to Crystal's occasional lack of etiquette in door knocking.

"Ms. Luz made us some chamomile tea before we got to tuck in." Crystal handed one of the cups to Gothy. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better." Gothy took a sip of tea. "It's kinda weird, but I'm actually OK with being scarred for life." She let out a small chuckle. "At least now I don't have to worry about being seen as a vanity object."

"If it comforts you in any way, I actually have a fondness for scarred chicks. Stirs away from the stereotype that women are delicate." In one gulp, Crystal drank all her warm tea. "Amar stuffed his new toy with tarantulas and black widows. And turned it into one giant voodoo doll! He's creepy and ridiculously adorable!"

"Did you just get a child-hating witch murdered by a child?" Gothy smirked.

"Who cares? No more needles to find in the haystack. Besides the Grand High Witch is merciless; I doubt she'll even care that her own offspring is dead!" Crystal took a sniff of the flowers that had been removed from Gothy's hair and placed in a small pot on the nightstand. "You honestly got into Ms. Amity's nice side. She really likes you."

"Uh, about that…" Gothy felt her grip tightening on her cup. "I'm sorry if I ran off… I got scared…"

"I don't blame you." Crystal sat down on the bed, the glitter in her hair flashing a bit as it pounced. "I mean, who _wouldn't _be scared? My list of flings is countless, but in the end, none of them have ever been emotional. Even I can't tell what scared me the most about being in love. Obviously, I kept telling myself I'd never be like Jareth. Some Fae royal bitch who acts like the opinions of a teenage mortal he pursued 'out of love' were inferior to his 'love for her'. Fae blood runs in me, but I could never force some lover to give up mortality just for me. And I certainly would never give up my immortality just for love. Selfish, I know."

"No, not really." Gothy finished her tea. "I mean… if it had been me, I never would have asked you to give up that part of you."

"I'd have to watch you grow old and die." Crystal looked morbid. "I look half of my actual age. I'd look and feel younger if I reached the typical human mortality rate. Sounds too morbid…"

"You're talking to Mother Gothel's kid." Gothy sat down next to Crystal. "Try spending time with her and she makes you appreciate the mere concept of age."

The moonlight glowed through the night's purple clouds and sent some lovely beams through the open window. Gothy chuckled to herself and touched her cheek's scars. "I just went through a near-death experience and despite everything, it caused me to re-evaluate myself. I mean, freaking out that people might only see me like Mother Gothel? Mock who I am? Between running away and getting scarred for life, running away was the dumbest thing I ever did! Terrified of love? Maybe a _bit_…" Gothy paused when she noticed that Crystal was frowning at her. "What?"

"Reassure me that you're not going to resort to near-death to undergo self-discovery," Crystal said quietly.

"I won't!" Gothy shook her head. "It's a one-time thing!"

"Good." Crystal reached out and placed her hand on Gothy's cheek, gently stroking over the scars. "Do me a favor, Gorgeous. I know you're independent enough to stab people, but don't get yourself in so many situations where it comes a cliched 'rescue the damsel' flick, OK?"

"I won't."

"I mean it."

"So did I."

"Good." Crystal's spare hand cupped Gothy's other cheek. The dark-haired and partially scarred beauty merely blushed as she returned the Fae's gentle kiss. It was a good thing they were sitting on the bed; Gothy felt her legs shaking by the time Crystal pulled away. "Not as blissful as the first one, but still the way I felt it."

"A bit strange?" Gothy asked.

"No. _Happy_." Crystal kissed her again. "Like just being with you actually makes me think that for the first time in my immortal life, someone loves me. For the real deal."

If this was real bliss, it sure as hell took over Gothy, provoking her to pull Crystal into a hug and deep kiss that accidentally pulled Gothy's head down on the pillows. Enticed moans came out from both of them as their kisses deepened, the hug tightened, and Crystal managed to flip Gothy so they could change positions. Gothy practically saddled on Crystal's lap as the Fae moved from kissing her strictly on the lips to her scarred cheek and neck. They were so caught in the embrace, they didn't realize that Amity Blight-Noceda accidentally walked in on them to witness Crystal's hold on Gothy going lower than the waist.

"HOLY ABOMINATIONS OF THE BOILING ISLES!" Amity's exclaiming voice caused the girls to stop their activity. "I'M OVERJOYED THAT YOU TWO FINALLY WORKED THINGS OUT BUT WAIT UNTIL YOUR TRAIN GETS FIXED FOR SEX! WE HAVE A BEYOND UNDDERAGED CHILD IN THE HOUSE!"

"Sorry, Mrs. Blight-Noceda!" Crystal and Gothy innocently apologized.


	27. Wrath of the Radio Demon

Chapter 27: Wrath of the Radio Demon

The next day was just too atrocious in Auradon.

It had been difficult fixing Evie's mirror. The Fairy Godmother and Mal had to work on some serious magic to fix every individual shard. No demonic attacks had occurred in Auradon, but the trauma of Beatrice Deetz's visit had traumatized a lot of people. Mal sent a message to Hades, who immediately came the moment he heard that a half-ghost, half-human hybrid had attacked them.

"You're playing with bad cards here," Hades shook his head as they added the final finishing touches to fixing the mirror.

"I know."

"Audrey will end up dying for real the moment the truth comes out; at this rate, accomplishing her contract with her demon might be the only thing that will save her."

"Any clues underground?" Ben asked.

"It's too weird in Hell at the moment. I've been gone for nearly a couple demon years, a few weeks on the surface. I don't know what's going on, but Hell is getting restless. Something's happening…" Hades got interrupted when a guard busted the doors open.

"King Ben! Lady Mal! The sorceress is in front of the castle!"

"What?" Mal felt her face paling. "We agreed on December!"

"She said it's for something else!"

No one wasted time and rushed to the front of the castle. Even though it was fall and the sky was cloudy, the temperature still felt like it did in late spring. Crowds of people, both from Auradon and the Isle, muttered to each other in confusion. Penna De Mort and Marius Bogfae casually leaned on the stone railing of the staircase. It must have gotten a bit colder for their tastes since both wore fancy jeweled cloaks that reached their feet.

"Lady De Mort…" Mal bowed. "I hope you haven't changed your mind, but we're still working out on our decision."

"As fascinating as it is to see proper fine print being followed, I'm not here to pester you," Penna said quietly. "I'm giving a break to Maleficent's daughter… to humiliate another family." Penna's bluish eyes flashed with twisted glee when she spotted Queen Aurora, King Philip, Queen Leah, and King Hubert standing among those who had just come out of the castle. "By the way, Audrey was such a delight."

The crowd gasped. The group felt like their stomachs had been turned into massive, bleeding knots. The sorceress had realized that Audrey crossed the wall and the mist! "Please tell me you didn't…" Aurora begged.

"Kill her? NO! What do you think I am, a savage?" Penna exclaimed. "Can you believe this, Marius? They immediately assume I'd murder a teenager who ran away from home!"

Mal let out a relieved sigh. "Oh!"

"Sure, I have a general 'no Auradon royalty across the wall' policy, but that's like when you try to invade us. Not when some hormonal princess runs away from home because everyone treated her like shit and she suffered an existential crisis that led to an indirect self-exile followed by adventures of self-discovery and genuine friendships. Wow. Note to myself: turn that one-pitch sentence into a nonfiction book!"

"Is…" Queen Leah hesitated. "Is my grandmother doing alright?"

"What, you miss her?" Penna snorted. "Your sentiments ain't gonna make me feel benevolent enough to bring her back." She clasped her hands together. Her pet snake appeared from a nearby bush and coiled itself over its mistress's shoulders. Marius straightened himself as his girlfriend stood before the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen… and the riffraff. I come bearing delightful news. Well, delightful for me. It's come to my attention that Auradon has been suffering from the… pillaging of a demon who's working on fulfilling the end of its upcoming contract with his client. Good news for new, I think it should all be over in a matter of time."

Happy sighs came from the crowd.

"The delightful news is that due to a curse I enacted on King Stefan upon his death, it's very likely that the kingdom of Sleeping Beauty will fall into chaos the future moment the ex-Princess Audrey marries her intended. My best guess? The demon she summoned. Who it is, I could care less. MAZEL TOV!"

A series of shocks came from the crowd while Audrey's family looked horrified.

"You FIEND!" Merryweather exclaimed, nearly ready to throttle the sorceress until Marius stood between them. He gave her a cold glare that forced the fairy to bow before him.

"Not that I don't admire the irony of fate, but whatever gave you such inspiration, De Mort?" Hades calmly asked.

"Vengeance." Penna shrugged. "It's highly repetitive, but in the end, everything is personal. You see, I provided a very authentic fine print to your ex, she wastes it on cursing a babe because some ROYAL BITCHES thought they could pull a second rate dick move by not inviting her, then a hairy moron breaks apart the universe to create a dysfunctional utopia where you have to lead an exodus of people who refuse to sacrifice their chaotic freedom, and you make a stop to realize that one of the same dicks, aka King Stephan, tried to make a move on harming your infant goddaughter." The snake seemed to hiss in agreement. "I'm sure you know how it went down, you being a miniscule pagan death god. The Auradonian monarchs hide the truth: they preferred to say that Stephan died of natural causes than by the strangle of a Troll king trying to protect his baby… and no had a clue that I cursed his dying corpse." She turned to the crowd. "A curse to ensure that the entire family would never be happy. Had Aurora given birth to a son, no heirs would come from him. Since she gave birth to a daughter, the girl's true love and personal happiness would come from a demon… at the expense of others!"

"You… You betrothed my daughter to a demon?" King Philip practically yelled and raised his sword. "How dare you!"

"How dare _I?_" Penna turned to Marius. "Can you believe this, sweetie? It's the same people who already cursed baby Aurora to a brat ten-years-older than her or whatnot, thought they could be dicks by snubbing on a dark fairy, encouraged totalitarian measures to create a false utopia without even asking 'Hey, do you mind if we steal your lands and basically rip off the universe for our biased concept of good and evil?' The same people who forced thousands to flee, who probably never knew that the same king who snubbed a dark fairy tried to harm the goddaughter of a dangerous sorceress…" She looked venomously at Aurora and Queen Leah and hissed: "… and the same people who treated their only heir as nothing more than a political tool. I saw her like two days ago and she looked perfectly fine. She didn't seem to miss you at all!"

"Audrey wouldn't never say that!" Ben said.

"You know, when I said I met a group of Auradonian refugees accompanied by a creepy red stag, I should have mentioned that I picked up the stench of you royals on her," Marius spoke up quietly. "I did tell her that everyone would kill her out of vengeance. I told her I could just kill her to avoid such bloodshed. And do you know what she said?"

"She said she'd rather die…" Queen Leah guessed miserably.

"She wouldn't say that!" Ben protested.

"She would…" Mal quietly agreed, "…when she thought everyone hated her."

Marius solemnly nodded. "Audrey said '_And you have every right. There's nothing that can convince you that I might be any different from my family. There's nothing that I can say that can beg you to spare me. The only thing I can hope is that you can imagine why I left Auradon… and after what I went through and what I just saw, it's unlikely that I'll ever go back._' And when I asked her if she had no moral guilt in leaving everything behind, she said she was creating her own destiny since she never had one. You people are pathetic."

"Join the club."

The sudden voice of Beatrice Deetz alarmed everyone to look up at the castle's doorway. Just above it, on top of a gargoyle, the pesky hybrid was lounging, using the stone statue as a couch. Her fingers shoveled through a box of chocolate treats shaped like beetles and drenched in green syrup. Beatrice stuffed a handful of beetles in her mouth.

"Deetz? What are you doing here?" Penna frowned. "I thought you and Osbourne were on your way to Villainapolis to catch up with Audrey?"

"We were, but Ozzy's pet got into an accident, we got stuck in a motel, and I had to put a 24-hour sleeping spell on her to get here. Emergency problem." Beatrice hopped off the gargoyle and onto the main ground. Rather than her usual Gothic Lolita dress, she had gone with a wide-striped pinstripe suit and fedora, only her tie and hat band were maroon-colored with green beetle patterns. "Want some?" Beatrice held out her box. "Cocoa beetles soaked in absinthe."

"No thanks, I already had my doses of green pixies," Marius waved off her offer drily.

"Oh well. More for me." Beatrice shrugged.

"_Deetz._" Penna's tone got cold. When she hissed those words, her snake hissed as well. "_What _was the emergency problem that caused you to go across the mist _on enemy turf?_ _While you're supposed to look for your friend who got thrown in the biggest vice—indulging pit of this mortal plane?_"

"Alastor."

That word caused Penna to freeze in her place and for Marius to nearly stumble. If there were any adult villains in the crowd who had risen back from the dead, they screamed and ran back home. Facilier, who was among the group who just stepped out of the castle, was now shivering like a fallen leaf before the snowstorm.

"A… A… A… Ala… Alas…" He could barely choke out the words before he feebly asked. "Alastor is here…"

"You know him?" Queen Leah asked in shock.

"Yeah, the old 'friends from the other side' were actually minor Loa spirits under Alastor's servitude." Beatrice finished off the beetles. "He said it was hilarious, torturing you in Hell for wasting his servants' time until you got sent back among the living. I wish I had seen it."

"THE RADIO DEMON IS PURE EVIL!" Facilier exclaimed in panic.

"Wow, you realize this now?" Beatrice asked.

"Hey, Beatrice. My good old Beatrice," Penna nervously chuckled and patted Beatrice on the shoulder. "Why is he here?"

"Because he wants to talk with all of you about a problem he's having." Beatrice pointed at the group, Marius, and Penna before finally pointing at Penna. "He's VERY angry with you right now. He's waiting for us inside at the dining hall."

"HE WAS INSIDE THE CASTLE ALL THIS TIME?" Facilier exclaimed.

"No, we just got here. We stopped by one of the other castles… He lashed out the entire staff."  
"Which… castle did he go to?" Mal nervously asked.

"You'll find out."

_Minutes later_

Beatrice led them back inside the castle. Somehow, despite being a tourist, Beatrice somehow knew her way around the place and got them to the mahogany doors that led to the dining room. Ever since she started dating Ben, Mal had often been invited to have dinner with his family in that same dining room. Fancily furnished, dark blue walls and golden chandeliers, a polished mahogany table with cushioned chairs, and a marble chimney that was always light up. The staff constantly kept it clean, you'd almost see the wooden floor shine.

The moment Beatrice popped the door open, the scent of blood overwhelmed them, even Penna's pet snake gagged. But the most horrifying, however, were the hundreds of ripped human organs spread all over the floor and the walls drenched in a new crimson shade. The fire in the chimney was unusually bright, its sparks leaving a smoke with bitter scents. A feast was laid out on the table, consisting of wine, jambalaya, étouffée, gumbo, shrimp creole, beignets, and what looked like a silver tray buried in layers of fresh meat. Only one chair was positioned at the table and it had its back turned on the group. A black gloved hand with red tips held out a clean plate; small shadow-like creatures snuck out the table and went on to refill the demon's plate with jambalaya.

"Godfather!" Beatrice practically sang as she frolicked her way to the chair.

"GODFATHER?" Most of them freaked out.

"Oh, I forgot about that…" Penna groaned. "Beatrice's parents are friends with him…"

"I brought the imbeciles!" Beatrice stood before the demon. "The underaged imbeciles, the royal imbeciles, the evil imbeciles, and the demonic imbeciles! Oh, and I also got the imbecile who wasted your time!"

A strange sound came from the other side of the chair, like the scratching sound of a radio. Then, without warning, the chair spun at 180 degrees, revealing the six-foot-tall (and perhaps taller) demon. His dark red suit was old-fashioned and seriously tightened, the only inches of revealed gray skin was that of his face. His red hair ended with black patches on his deer-like ears and lower cowlicks, with two small pitch-black antlers sticking out. His eyes, from the sclera to the irises, were red, with a monocle resting on his right one. Two things were the most disturbing about that demon: the large, perfectly straight fanged smile he had stretching all the way to his eyes and the fact that for a red-colored, animalistic demon who looked like he was eager to kill someone, he still had the physical charming features of a man in his early thirties.

"_Thank you, Beatrice_." The moment he talked, they realized that the radio static was actually coming from him, like he was talking through it. "_Why don't you help yourself with some beignets? I had some of them filled with scarabs, just the way you like it!_"

"Aw, thanks!" Beatrice giggled. "Did you turn the knights into scarabs? Or maybe the stable boys?"  
"_The entire kitchen staff! Don't worry, my precious. I ripped off their repulsive human fat before transforming them. I know how sensitive your stomach is to protein fat."_

Most of the group wanted to gag. Here they were, watching a cannibal encourage his goddaughter to eat pastries stuffed with proteins from humans transformed into bugs. "What happened to that fat chef you mauled? Louie, was it?" Beatrice took a bite of a beignet. Small legs and shells could be seen sticking out.

"_Horace. His name was Horace, and what happened to him… Let's just say his meat is average compared to venison."_ Right on cue, Alastor's fork poked into a bleeding piece of raw meat and pulled it into his mouth.

"Horace…" Aurora gasped in horror. The queen then saw the familiar faces of the dead corpses spread all over the dining room. "You… you killed my entire my entire staff…"

Out of fury, Merryweather prepared to point her wand at the demon, but a shadow appeared from underneath the chair. It had to be at least six times bigger than the ones serving around the table and looked too much like it could be Alastor's _own shadow_. The shadow grabbed Merryweather and threw her into a wooden piece of furniture, destroying all the fancy dishes in it.

"MERRYWEATHER!" The other Good Fairies exclaimed before Alastor snapped his fingers. A dark red aura filled with small, glowing voodoo glyphs surrounded him while dark Eldritch tentacles appeared and coiled around the three fairies, nearly suffocating them like snakes do to rats until the victims transformed into trees. Alastor summoned the abominations away and stopped glowing, going back to eating from his plate while everyone looked in horror at the trees that used to be the fairy godmothers… with Flora and Merryweather having pink and blue flowers respectively.

"Y…Your Lordship…" Facilier quivered like a leaf, he couldn't even smile, especially when Alastor and Beatrice both turned their heads at 90 degrees to look at him. "Y… You seem well."

"_Same to you, __**old friend**__._" The sound of radio static seemed more agitated when he said those last words. He suddenly disappeared into the shadows, off his chair and five inches in front of Facilier. "_You've certainly regained your sense of non-existent humanity when you were released from Hell. My servants missed torturing you. But of course, you know how I say it, don't you?"_

"You're never fully dressed without a smile?"

"_**Very**_." Alastor noted the presence of Celia. "_I see that you became a father, Facilier! How quaint! I suppose Tiana's words rang truth when she resisted you!_"

"Quite." Facilier managed to regain his composure and put himself between Alastor and his daughter. "May I respect your five-foot rule, Alastor?"

"_Of course._" Alastor still smiled, exposing those teeth of his as he walked back to his chair. "_Busy as ever, Penelope?"_

At first, nobody knew who he was talking to until they saw Penna grimacing. "Dandy as ever, Alastor. Rotating between resolving old contracts in this sugar shithole and keeping balance with the chaotic miscreants on the other side. You know, keeping things separate in this chaotic world we live in. Being a fan of order falling apart, I'm sure you understand."

"_Of course, darling. Besides visiting the good old Ghost With The Most, lovely Lydia, and my precious here, I visit Macabretown for the joys of chaotic, macabre-adoring mortal hooligans._" Beatrice was sitting on the table and eating beignets, putting at a close enough level for Alastor to affectionately ruffle her hair without even leaving the chair.

"So… what's the problem?" Penna frowned. "Unless Chez Lecter went out of business or they banned jazz business for the skeleton float of next year's Mardi Gras parade, I can't exactly help you."

"Not because we don't think it's worth our time!" Marius spoke up with his best effort at a reassuring smile. "But an overlord of your rank, power, and reputation surely wouldn't waste his time with the lowly services of two non-human magic enforcers."

"Excuse me?" Penna scoffed at her boyfriend, who merely hissed at her to work with him.

"_It's interesting you discuss lowly services."_ Alastor held up his finger. "_You see, besides a select few in Macabretown and some hybrids here and there, I never do business with humans and the common sinful mortals. I am also known for never getting any opportunity to perform contracts with humans since none are courteous enough to use my assigned summoning ritual… and I am also known for being a VERY only one-man show. Spreading chaos and bloodshed in Hell… ON MY OWN._" Alastor still smiled and sounded upbeat, but the air around him seemed to thicken and his antlers were starting to grow, creating bone-cracking sounds in the process. It was evident that despite his pasted smile, Alastor was getting angry.

Nobody had thought to close the dining room doors before getting in, so nobody realized Dude suddenly came in until he started barking at Alastor. That only seemed to make him angrier: his antlers grew to the point of scratching the walls, his red eyes darkened into empty blackness, and his fanged smile grew into a bigger one with dripping blood that violently hissed at Dude, sending the dog whimpering into Celia's arms. "_Vile creature_," Alastor hissed as he went back to normal, causing the Auradonians to shiver. Celia, however, realized that his hissing sounded familiar. Yes, it sounded very much like the hissing the figure had sent at Dude before escaping from Audrey's room! And the monstrous stag appearance? Didn't they say that Audrey left Auradon with a red stag that managed to injure Mal?

"It's you…" Celia said, causing everyone to look at her. "Audrey's demon…"

"Oh fuck…" Penna's face paled. "I was aware… but not to that point…"  
"Oberon's horns, Penna!" Marius practically shouted. "Next time you use a curse to play karma matchmakers, could you make sure that one of Hell's overlords didn't fit the bill?"

"Hey, it could have been ANY demon! It's not MY fault if the cupcake called in the bigger eater!"

"No… It was mine…" Mal found herself touching the part of her arm, knowing that the demon's manifestation had bit her and that the demon who sent it was in the same room.

"_You think?_" Both Alastor and Beatrice said out loud.

"Wait… How long did you know about the curse I threw on King Stefan's legacy?" Penna was confused. "Until I met the kid a few days ago, nobody besides my own goddaughter knew about it. I didn't make it public until I decided to brag about it to Auradon!"

"I hate to break it to you, Lady De Mort, but the Villainapolis media was ahead of you." Beatrice waved out a newspaper. Somehow, without even ripping the paper, Beatrice managed to stretch the newspaper until it was her own height, making the headlines big enough for anyone to see.

**APOKOLIPS NOW OWNED BY QUEEN OF MEAN! NEWEST ALL-STAR TURNS OUT TO BE RADIO DEMON'S BETROTHED!**

"'As anticipated, a turf war was engaged in the morning when a patch of land belonging to what used to be Apokolips appeared at the heart of Villainapolis. As usual, the lead gang leaders for this patch of land brought in their wild cards,'" Beatrice read out loud. "'The daughter of Blackfire chose as a wild card her honorary slash temporary member Audrey the Queen of Mean, the newest all-star of Villainapolis who not only got everyone's adoration in a matter of hours but somehow incited a massive rivalry between herself and the insane Kory Lokisdottir. Hellish and semi-divine forces nearly ripped apart the turf when both wild cards fought against each other until the Queen of Mean found the deed to Apokolips. A strange twist of events: unlike the typical temporary deeds which are usually fought over at every annual turf, the Apokolips deed is actually permanent to the first person who grabs it, supernaturally announcing Audrey the Queen of Mean as its permanent rightful owner along with the accompanied armies. In a stranger twist, the deed revealed that due to an **arrangement…**'" Beatrice tapped on the words to have them bold up and pop off the paper, nearly screaming at Penna's face. "'… by **Lady De Mort **herself, the ownership of the turf will be even split following the **Queen of Mean's marriage to Alastor the Radio Demon**. What a shock! A first-time evil all-star from the land of morons betrothed to probably the most…' And I'm gonna stop there. The rest of the article is mostly male hysteria.'"

"_So, if it would be in your best interests, I was hoping you would tear apart that silly paperwork of yours so I can mostly worry about how to have my contract with my client agreed upon rather_," Alastor patiently said.

"What, the brat's not good enough for you?" Hades nearly laughed.

"_Speaking of spoiled brats, my manifestation missed out on ripping off an arm off your own brat_." Alastor gave Mal a menacing sneer. "_I wonder how my shrimp Creole would taste if I replace the shrimp with your spleen and added a double seasoning of fairy-pagan god blood with hot pepper sauce…_"

"Don't you dare." Hades' hair started flaming up. Beatrice suddenly turned into a black-and-white striped fireman and phased her hands into hoses that shot water geysers at the pagan god. Hades went flying across the castle.

"DAD!" Mal exclaimed.

"Alastor, I swear on the River Styx that I would tear apart that curse right on the spot if I could!" Penna begged. "But I can't. I have a no loophole and destruction for curses! I swear, shipping the girl with an overlord wasn't even first on my list! You would have done the same thing if King Stefan had targeted Beatrice!"

"_No._" Alastor smiled and shook his head. "_If it had been my way, there would have been blood. Several fools have thought they could play violent with my precious, but __**I **__played with them with blood, carnage, and a side dish of jambalaya. You know how I do not usually add cannibalism to my fancy meals unless someone hits my anger or distaste buttons. And if the sinners are in Hell, I make their eternal afterlife a torturing entertainment… that satisfies me. You are fortunate that I have enough decent respect for the work of a witch like yourself to not kill you. You have angered me, but we cannot always have what we want._"

"T… Thanks…" Penna sighed. "For the record, there's no date for this thing, so don't feel rushed!"

"With the demon time he's still waiting to discuss the contract with Audrey, I'm sure he can survive ten times that with your stupid curse," Beatrice snorted. Penna gave her a grimace that could have killed someone until Alastor gestured his finger in a chiding fashion.

"_I'm sure you two better be off. I have… some business to take care off with these Auradonian philanderers."_

"Of course! Well, have a good day!" Penna snapped her fingers. Teal-colored smoke surrounded her and Marius Bogfae and the two disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. Alastor tapped his fingers eagerly on the chair's armrest, his sharp fingertips scratching the velvet cushion.

"_Since they left, I believe we can have a lovely conversation on how much pain and torture you will go through!_" Alastor's smile widened viciously. "_Any suggestions, my precious Beatrice?_"

"Shoving them into a sandworm pit sounds too easy," Beatrice pondered. "Maybe chain them on the roofs and have eagles peck their livers off every day? No, too Greek! Rip off their skins, sew them into book jackets, and sell it in Witchachusetts?"

"_No, that would be too barbaric."_

"TOO BARBARIC?" Beast exclaimed and waved at the corpse-covered floor. "You vandalized and destroyed Auradon, you mass-murdered and devoured my neighbors' staff, and you encouraged Audrey into evil!"

"_**I **__encouraged her into evil? Moi?" _It shocked some when he said that last word with fluent French. "_I did not even lift my finger after she summoned me! I just sat back and watched the show until that, ah, narrow encounter with death. It was only after that drastic affair that I sent my manifestation to guard her._" He then suddenly appeared right in front of Beast and poked him on the nose. "_But the bloodhounds of Corona? That was the last straw._"

"What, you got a thing against dogs?" Dude should have shut up. Alastor hissed and snapped his fingers, trapping Dude in a metal cage that his shadow tossed out a window.

"THAT WAS MY BEST FRIEND'S DOG!" Jay charged at Alastor, who merely moved across the room, leading Jay to crash onto Beast. The demon snapped his fingers; Jay found himself shrinking into a cobra and trapped in a golden cage. The scene worsened when Alastor clenched his fist and tentacles ripped off the fangs of cobra-Jay. Beatrice was sitting on the chair, clapping her pale hands eagerly. The gleeful expression was just as terrifying as Alastor's plastered smile.

"_Your best friend? You couldn't even figure out what happened to him and you let the people blame my queen!"_ Alastor laughed. "_She discovered on her own that Kory Lokisdottir poisoned him because she thought that toying with my Queen would be amusing! Oh, watching my Queen destroy that perverted demigoddess will be far more entertaining than seeing Carlos De Vil in Hell._"

"You've seen Carlos… in Hell?" Ben asked.

"Well, duh. Where do you think sinners go?" Beatrice rolled her eyes. "Nice guy, though. Godfather doesn't like him, though."

"_Precious, I only dislike his demon form. Not his personality._"

"Considering your background, that's rather hypocritical."

"That can't be… Carlos was too sweet. He was good!" Ben protested.

"_Let me think, my chap. Countless reckless behavior on the Isle, breaking into a museum, lying on the phone, taking part in a failed take-over-the-world scheme, disrespect to his mother, resorting to enchanted gummies to ask a girl out until the dog ate the candy, went to the Isle without permission, forged a copy of a fairy's wand, assaulted some pirates, missed his girlfriend's birthday party, failed to chain his motorcycle, tackled some enchanted nights, failed to impress his mother with his girlfriend and goal ambitions, and finally, could not tell when a demigoddess worsened his epilepsy with an enchanted poison_." Alastor made the list. "_The Fallen Angel found his judgement pure irony. His own offspring created a project similar to yours, redeeming demons to go to heaven. It partially worked… and then __**your**__ father suggested that redeeming them to regain their humanity would be a second chance to restart alive, with a second chance to learn from past mistakes and move forward!_"

"Until the lousy timeshare on the Isle," Beatrice pointed out, "and self-imposed exile."

"_It is one thing when his own offspring believes that inside every demon is a rainbow. It is __**another **__when some mortal king tricks the offspring of the Fallen Angel because he thinks he's above breaking nature's order of good and evil. So yes, give the Fallen Angel a reason to see the poor boy's fall as karmic punishment on the living…_" Alastor's smile widened. He snapped his fingers, reverting those he had attacked back to their natural states, though too dizzy to fight back. The demon held out his hand, summoning shadows to solidify into a cane with a red microphone headpiece that he pointed at Aurora, Philip, Queen Leah, and King Hubert.

"_I have no interest in marrying your daughter and I can easily delay what can be avoided. I would rather re-witness my death than be associated with selfish royalty like yourself. But I admire the chaotic potential in her and I would prefer to pass a contract with her than have death make her my slave. So know this! The contract will provide her with my protection from Voldemort's return. Penna De Mort will see that you all lied when she kills either Maleficent or her offspring, and it will be too late for Auradon when the Dark Lord destroys everything! And when he is done destroying all of Auradon and the Isle, I will rip him apart myself and laugh when I look at the destruction of your pathetic excuse of harmony while my Queen has her happy ending on the side where she truly belongs!" _

Alastor snapped his fingers. The fireplace suddenly widened and transformed into a massive stone stag skull, its toothed mouth opening and the fire in it turning into a neon-colored portal. The shadows scurried out of the dining room, dragging the corpses and the rest of the feast with them into the multicolored vortex. Alastor and Beatrice started making their way to it.

"_A great pleasure meeting you all and to never see your faces again!_" Alastor stopped and gave them a small bow. "_Ah, and Facilier? You still owe my servants a quarter of your debt, but I am feeling generous today."_

"Thank you…" Facilier was about to go on some quivering sentence to thank the demon… until Alastor's shadow grabbed Celia by the ankle and started dragging her to the portal.

"DADDY!" Celia exclaimed.

"Not my daughter!" Facilier grabbed Celia's hands and tried to pull her away from the sentient shadow. "Not Celia! You said you were feeling generous!"

"_I am. I am being generous by having your offspring take your place. Should any of you pursue any other method to drag my Queen away like that grey-haired demon slayer who fooled De Mort, than the ticket to Hell of Celia Facilier will be a one-way only! Try to resort to any way of challenging me directly or indirectly, than she'll cease to exist in Hell! Good day!"_

Alastor merely tilted his head and Beatrice stretched her arm to slap Facilier on the face. Both demon and half-ghost, half-human hybrid laughed as they jumped into the portal. Alastor's shadow snickered itself as it successfully dragged a screaming Celia into the portal, the stag skull shutting its mouth and reverting back into a normal fireplace. Blood still stained the entire room, everyone was speechless, and Facilier fell on his knees, sobbing hysterically since his precious daughter was taken by the master of his former friends on the other side.

"Doctor…" Queen Leah trembled as she reached out to comfort him, only for him to slap her hand away.

"**JE VOUS DÉTESTE!**" (French for "I hate you!") "**À CAUSE DE VOUS ET VOTRE MAUDITE PETITE-FILLE, J'AI PERDU MON ENFANT! TOUT CECI EST VOTRE FAUTE!**" (French for: "Because of you and your vile granddaughter, I lost my child! This is all your fault!")


	28. Grey-Haired Demon Slayer

Chapter 28: Grey-Haired Demon Slayer

Audrey wasn't sure what woke her up. For all she knew, it could have been the screeching of her new 'subjects'. It was a miracle that she was even able to sleep like a rock void of any nightmares, considering how she felt like the sky practically crushed on her yesterday.

Villainapolis didn't have the same idea. They called for a week free of turf wars and decided to celebrate. She lost track of the amount of fireworks she heard cracking in the sky all night. The Parademons and Paradooms, apparently so enthusiastic to have a mistress, immediately built a chateau for her. Audrey didn't even get a chance to say anything to her friends; the subjects were just too eager to have her opinion on how they built the halls, the rooms, the gardens, or even picked their names. The events had drained her and a Paradoom had tucked her in her new chamber.

Somehow, these rapid workers nailed it at building comfy beds. She had fallen asleep the moment she had been tucked.

A loud knock alerted Audrey. She hadn't changed since the turf war, but she still shielded herself with the lemonade pink blankets. "Y… Yes?"

"It's just me." Audrey sighed in relief when she heard Iclyn's voice coming from the other side of the door. "Brought ya some takeout breakfast."

"Coming!" Audrey got up, intending to open the door herself but one of the guards beat her to it. She groaned when she saw a Parademon opening a door for Iclyn, her hands bearing three paper bags and two cups releasing steam.

"Thanks… Alphonse?" Iclyn frowned at the **Hello, My Name is ALPHONSE** name tag on its armor. The Parademon grunted something with what seems to be a smile before closing the door behind the teenager. "Seriously, why do they all go by artsy names? Your guards just outside your room are Alphonse and Mucha, I saw three Paradooms painting your staircase and they were named Henri, Toulouse, and Lautrec, and I don't want to know why, but the Parademons fixing up your ballroom are named Moulin and Rouge."

"I don't know… I didn't feel like calling them by numbers or figuring out names myself, I just told them to go with it." Audrey shrugged.

"Well, for 'going with it', they're seriously hive-minded. Be warned, nearly every inch I've seen so far is covered in Art Nouveau and Deco." Iclyn placed the goods on the coffee table with vine and reed-shaped legs. "Hot chocolate overdosed with whipped cream, caramel and mint sprinkles, fruit flavored pancakes with strawberry jam and powdered sugar, turkey sausage, and 75% off coupons for the next 5 holiday meals you order Bergen's and Troll's."

"Thanks." Audrey took a sip from her cup but took a step back after nearly burning her tongue. She contended to cool it down with some pancakes.

"How are you doing though?" Iclyn quietly asked. "After the shit that happened yesterday…"

"I don't know anymore." Audrey solemnly shook her head.

"You _don't know?_" Iclyn's tone almost caused the bedroom to drop in temperature. "You're being harassed by a demigoddess, you displayed hell-like strength, you accidentally became the permanent legal owner of the leftovers of an empire, and a moronic news reporter felt the need of having your inner demons revealed! In your shoes, I'd either be pissed and smashing things!"

"I honestly do not know, OK?" Audrey raised her hands in the air, nearly knocking over her cup until Iclyn caught it. "I just… Do you think I had an exact agenda? I left Auradon because I wanted to help my friend find her sister and because I wasn't wanted back in Auradon. It's not like I knew what would happen during and after the trip…" Audrey bent down on her cushioned chair, placing her hands on her face. "I didn't even think of what I was going to do with the rest of my life. And here I am, finding out that despite everything, my life still ends up being planned out by others…"

"Jessie didn't tell the others. Strictly me. She knows I don't gossip." Iclyn finished her drink in one gulp, steam slithering out of her nostrils. "Are you really Sleeping Beauty's daughter?"

Audrey sighed. "It's a miracle nobody has slaughtered me yet…"

"It would be the dumbest thing ever, considering who you're contracted to." Iclyn stopped eating, whipped off the powdered sugar on her lips with a paper towel, and sat upright on her chair. "Do tell me everything. And please, don't lie. I can tell from body heat waves when somebody lies."

"That's a bit creepy." Audrey shook her head. She didn't want to find out how Iclyn could freeze her if she lied, so she let everything out: her family's expectations, how they wanted her to marry Ben to boost their status, how Mal came in, how Audrey used Chad Charming for rebound, the coronation, her 'spa vacation hiatus', the royal proposal that led to her grandmother shaming her, her transformation and time as the Queen of Mean, her near death until Hades revived her, the ostracizing she endured despite Ben and Mal's forgiveness, Carlos' death, meeting Gothy, the entire list of mayhems during the trips, and everything leading up to the present. Iclyn paid close attention and had a strange expression of disturbed concerns when Audrey brought up the family pressures, the dog bites, Alastor talking to her in nightmares, the extraction of her Auradonian stench, the anger that reawakened her dark side, Penna's curse, and the truth that Kory Lokisdottir, for some unknown reason, targeted Audrey as her new toy and went on to poison Carlos.

"…I mean, yeah, I reached this point where I acknowledged that I can't not pass a contract with _Alastor_…" Audrey had a hard time saying that word out loud. "But how was I supposed to know that the universe would automatically decide that just because I summoned this one guy, I'm paired up with him?"

"Better paired up with this guy than anyone else." Iclyn got up and pulled open the red-and-pink bird patterned curtains, revealing Villainapolis in the morning. The subjects were doing their business, a few flying around the chateau and others working in the garden. "Trust me, there are worse demons out there than the Radio Demon. He might be a bloodthirsty sociopath, but at least he's got boundaries."

"Compared to what?" Audrey tempted to ask. All Iclyn had to do was point a blue gloved finger out the window. Evidently, she was pointing at the city's electronic billboards that stood out on the skyscrapers, but her finger was more focused on the billboard for the Porn Studios Theater.

"That and the IMP? Who knows who, but the reason those demon companies have any of that here are because they have some sort of clientele among the living… and because nobody in Villainapolis complains about it. The imps at the IMP are pretty decent, but if you were a bitch crazy enough to summon one of the Three Vs, you'd actually wish to have Alastor as your personal demon. I don't know what the Radio Demon could possibly want from you, but as far as I've heard, any living or undead being crazy enough to summon Vox and Valentino became shells of themselves and lost their joys of lives. I don't know what Velvet does and I'd rather not find out." Iclyn shut the curtains. "Besides, give yourself some credit. You're the first person to ever summon Alastor."

"He already brought it up. I feel _so lucky_," Audrey responded sarcastically.

"In the end, it's not your fault… OK, technically it's your fault for not knowing the supernatural implications when you sang about your problems… But in the end, it's an ongoing cycle of everyone's fault." Iclyn shrugged. "Good, evil, and the in-between clash. Both have their own ambitions. Good becomes delusional from its former glory days and seeks to bring itself up to the stories superior than theirs. Bad either learns from its mistakes or goes the jerkass way to inflict their internal pain onto others. The chaotic indulge into their personal pleasures from the smallest candy to the wildest rager. A whole cycle of revenge, a lifetime of plans, all because the sides think they can control an individual's life for the sake of their interests. When the wheel stops spinning in the direction they want you to go to, they feel like it's your fault if the wheel broke. But what really matters is which way you want the wheel to go." Iclyn looked at Audrey, who stared blankly at her. "What?"

"You sound like a philosopher." Audrey shook her head. "In the end, what's your point?"

"That you got to stop whining about how people expected your life to turn a specific way!" Iclyn nearly snapped but didn't hesitate to tap Audrey on the head. "Pull yourself together, for Dickens' sake! Was it your mom who told you to leave Auradon?"

"No!"

"Was it that what's-his-name Benny or Bob, I don't care, or Chad who told you to beat the crap out of Jareth, Vincent Salt, Indimia Rex, and Kory Lokisdottir? Was it Mal who said you can't leave to discover yourself? Was it anyone who told you to or not to summon a demon?" Iclyn jumped on the coffee table. "You answer your own questions! You make your own decisions! You remind the world that you are Audrey the Queen of Mean, and it's not anyone, especially not some smile-paste demon who's going to bring you down! Go, confront the adversity! Fight! Win!" Iclyn raised her hands, snowflakes flying everywhere and some frosted snow creating fireworks shouting the words **TEAM AUDREY**.

Audrey frowned a bit. For the few days she was here, she wasn't used to seeing Iclyn giving big smiles the way Jessie Joker did, but Iclyn's pep talk did managed to cheer her up. "You know, you're right!" She got up. "I keep blaming myself even though I'm trying to move forward. I'm not in Auradon anymore! I'm…"

A loud shriek erupted from outside, interrupting Audrey. "What was that?" She asked.

"Either it's the most off-key boy band I ever heard or the Paradooms forgot that the Villainapolis Henchman Union will tear apart their dental insurance if they resort to cannibalism," Iclyn said.

_Minutes later_

Audrey had to give credit to the Parademons. For subjects who barely knew her, they had managed to compile an entire wardrobe for Audrey overnight. After skimming through her closet, she settled for a sleeved black flapper top with a rose pattern formed out of beaded rose quartz, black flare pants with a printed pattern of pink art nouveau birds, and dark pink Italian heels with a matching high collared coat. It was a miracle that she could even run properly as she and Iclyn rushed down to the main floor, Audrey politely but hurriedly acknowledging the creatures that bowed before her. They got to the chateau's garden, where the screams originated from.

Despite the general hellish appearance of that scrap of Apokolips, the Parademons and Paradooms pulled in a lot of effort to make their queen's garden as nice as possible. The stone floor had been polished and reorganized to make pathways shine like obsidians under the sunlight. The lava canals were renovated, with some additional plumbing for the phoenix and deer statues to spit lava in the fiery fountains. Pinkish red roses had been planted in maze formats, and despite the fall season, blooming cherry blossoms and magnolia trees had been planted with live oaks. A French colonial style gazebo was placed in a crescent shaped lava pond where for some supernatural reason, giant alligators were swimming in it like koi fish in a regular pond. Speaking of the gazebo, a couple of Parademons and Paradooms were there, grunting in amusement as one Parademon floated over the pond, dangling some teenager by the ankle and shaking him while the gators jumped up and down from the pond.

"_Laissez moi tranquille, espèce de connards sans cervelles!"_ (Leave me alone, you brainless assholes!"

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?" Audrey shouted. The creatures stopped in their entertainment; the gators even sank deep into the pond in shame.

"Murdering a minor for sport without permission from the honcho…" Iclyn shook her head. "You know Audrey, you really need to encourage them to attend union meetings about how to preserve their dental AND life insurances."

The Parademon holding the boy came to the ground to face the Queen. Audrey tilted her head a bit to have a better look: the boy looked like he could be only a couple years younger than her, maybe even three. His hair was unusually gray but she picked up some signs of black roots. Judging by his hair's messy state and the fact that he was wearing a nightshirt, he must have been sleeping when the creatures snatched him. The purple nightshirt was worn out and obviously three times his size, he had to use a rope as a tight belt. Because the Parademon was holding him by the ankle, the girls were exposed to his black underwear with garters and pale legs bearing a few scars. For some reason, the garter on his left leg had an empty black leather sheath, the kind used to carry a knife. His purple eyes looked angrily at Audrey.

The Parademon grunted something to Audrey. "Vincent says that they were patrolling the city in case somebody would try to harm me while I was sleeping… Aw, you guys are sweet." Audrey translated.

"Wait, you understand them?" Iclyn asked.

"I don't want to figure out why. Anyway, they were flying over this abandoned church and picked up his scent…" Audrey scowled. "Apparently, because they picked up _my scent_ when they were around me, they were able to individualize my friends' scents. And Vincent says that he picked up Gothy, Crystal, Beatrice, Willywaffle, and my scent on him that told the Parademons and Paradooms that _he _tried to attack us before we got to the Troll Lands." She pointed at the boy. "Obviously, they broke in and found him sleeping in the church. Vincent says Van Gogh accidentally hit a window, so the kid woke up and immediately attacked them. They captured him and confiscated the bag he was sleeping with. When he wouldn't answer in their interrogation using a Speak & Spell, they decided to feed them to the gators."

'Vincent' grunted something that caused Audrey's cheeks to burn. "Vincent! That's revolting!"

"What?" Iclyn asked.

"He said that a couple of the Parademons also wanted to… God, I can't even say it out loud! Vincent, tell them to wash their mouths! And put the guy down! I'll deal with him while you fetch him some clothes!"

'Vincent' nodded and dropped the boy on the ground. One of the Paradooms in the gazebo grunted some sort of question that caused Audrey to glow an angry pink aura.

"If I want Vincent to fetch a… WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? GET HIM MODEST CLOTHING AND HIS PROPERTY, FOR PETE'S SAKE AND SOME FOOD! AND IT BETTER NOT BE POISONED!" Audrey's screams caused the creatures to scram and fly back to the castle, some actually letting out apologetic whimpers. "My God! Why do they even have laced corsets for prisoners?"

"Darkseid had kinky servants." Iclyn gave out a toothy grin. It dissolved, however, when she grabbed the boy by his gray hair and pulled him up, his bare toes barely touching the obsidian-colored ground. "You think your relatives sent him after you?"

"I work for no one!" The boy spat. "I merely thought that bringing the princess back to Auradon would calm down that demon of hers! He's been vandalizing Auradon to pile up his ideas for how to have her fulfill their contract!"

_I do not deny it,_ Alastor's voice appeared in the back of Audrey's mind. _I have made a stop to it and gave them a strict reminder to mind their own business._

_I'm surprised you're even talking to me._

_I have my respects for you, my Queen, but I would rather die again than be your betrothed._

"The jerk…" Audrey muttered and looked at the boy. "I don't give a hoot about Auradon. Besides, Alastor said he stopped the 'vandalizing', so your trip was nothing."

The boy arched his dark-colored eyebrows. "A demon with the Greek name for 'avenger'? _Ça m'étonne pas qu'il te soit si fidèle._" (It doesn't surprise me that he's so loyal to you.)

"_C'est un peu risqué. Il me fait la tête d'enfant boudeur en ce moment car il a récamment découvert qu'on ai fiancé par un maléfice._" (It's a bit risky. He's making the face of a sulky child at me right now because he recently discovered that we got engaged by a curse.) Audrey suddenly spoke in fluent French, shocking both Iclyn and the boy.

"I forgot. _La fille de la Belle au Bois Dormant._ The daughter of Sleeping Beauty," the boy mumbled.

"And who are you?" Iclyn yanked his hair. Despite her roughness, he didn't wince or yelp even once.

"Charles Luther Frollo. Charles, for short. Don't call me Charlie."

"Frollo's son…" Audrey widened her eyes.

"And Mother Gothel's." Charles' comment caused Audrey to be even more startled. "Wow, Gothy didn't tell you? I'm surprised she didn't, considering that the last time I spotted you, I sabotaged the train, you were unconscious and I nearly had you until that girlfriend of my blasted sister called a gargoyle and I got carried back to Villainapolis. Do you realize what it's like to get stuck underneath a gargoyle when the sun rises, turning it to stone? It's a miracle I could even reach my blades and smash it to pieces to get it off!"

Iclyn scowled. "You want me to shove him back into the pond?"

"Oh, so just because I'm Frollo's son means that I also meet my death in a fiery pit?" Charles asked with sarcastic pessimism.

"Let me see if I get this straight… Gothy _never _told me she had another sibling besides Cassandra!" Audrey frowned. "She kept telling me that Mother Gothel never showed an ounce of love for her kids, abandoned Cassandra for Rapunzel, and outright ignored Gothy… and you're telling me that she had no problem leaving you behind?"

"To be fair, we had our shares of problems." Charles shrugged. "OK? Her problems were with Gothel, mine with Frollo. We kept ourselves separate, with no intention of mixing…"

"YOU'RE SIBLINGS!" Audrey yelled, her hair nearly turning pink. "SHE DITCHED YOU FOR ANOTHER SIBLING!"

"And you ditched your family," Charles said quietly. "_De quell droit tu me juges?_"

_By what right do you judge me? _That's the words in French that Charles used on Audrey, causing her to take a step back and avoid transforming in anger. By what right does she judge him? It would have sounded laughable, the son of the most self-entitled French bastard to say that to the daughter of the most underrated French princess, but deep down, Audrey saw that Charles was calling her out on her own hypocrisy. Did it mean that she was rethinking everything? Obviously not. But it made her take a step back on how she judged Charles.

'Vincent' and two Parademons came flying back, 'Vincent' carrying two trays full of food and tea, one Parademon carried freshly cleaned clothes and some sort of black satchel with purple buckles, and the last Parademon carried a wooden tub full of bubbly water. The moment Charles saw the tub, he kicked Iclyn, causing her to let go of him. He tried to make a run for his satchel but 'Vincent' caught him and tossed him into the tub. Audrey moved out of the way to avoid the splashing water.

"Man, this kid knows how to kick!" Iclyn rubbed the area he kicked while Audrey dismissed the Parademon who put the trays on a table under the gazebo's shade. Its comrade placed the clothes on the steps and presented the satchel to Audrey.

"Leave me alone! I don't like baths!" Charles fought to no avail as 'Vincent' ripped off the nightshirt and began scrubbing him with a sponge.

"Can you please scrub harder, Vincent?" Audrey asked. "I don't want to hear him while I check his belongings."

_This is some interesting morning entertainment, _she heard Alastor chuckle. _At least he will smell like a fresh field of French lavenders._

_Is it even from France or is it like how French vanilla is actually from Madagascar?_

"Fancy blade." Audrey was interrupted from her 'mental talk' when she saw Iclyn pulling out a dagger from the satchel. Sure enough, she saw how the design was identical to Gothy's own dagger, reminding her about Alastor's old warning about a grey-haired boy bearing the twin dagger. She didn't know why, but for some reason, Audrey began feeling woozy. Things were getting blurry..

"CLOSE MY SATCHEL!" Charles shouted from the tub. "I HAVE STUFF IN THERE FULL OF IRON!"

Iclyn realized what was happening when she saw Audrey having a hard time breathing. She tossed the satchel across the gazebo and used her ice powers to cool off Audrey's burning cheeks until the latter regained her senses.

"What happened?" Audrey asked. "I suddenly felt like I was gonna fall asleep…"

"Most of your magic is Fae… And Fae folk are weakened by iron, so the iron in his satchel must have thrown you off…"

"Actually, most of my weapons are a mixture of iron and silver. Stuff to protect myself against Fae AND demons." Charles slowly stepped out of the tub. Despite his soaking underwear and garters, he immediately put on the purple dress shirt, black pants and derby boots, causing the girls to see the scars he also had on his back. Charles tapped his feet, probably unused to such fancy shoes, and went for his satchel. Audrey and Iclyn almost went in defensive mode when he took out his dagger, only to pull up his pants and place the dagger into the sheath, covering it with the fabric. "My best guess, Audrey, is that thanks to your demonic summoning, your Fae magic got mixed with 'Mr. Alastor's' demon magic. Probably makes you a very dangerous person, but then again, considering my trinkets make you faint, calling you 'very dangerous' would be like trying to figure out a snake charmer's odds of not getting bit by a mamba."

"Were you planning on using those against me?" Audrey frowned.

"Against you? No. Against others who'd interfere against my business? Most likely." Charles grimaced. "Besides, my social life degree back on the Isle was the equivalent of the Antarctica temperature."

"Ouch." Iclyn set up one of the trays with a cup of tea, buttered toast, and a berry salad sprinkled with sugar. She took some cautious steps as she brought the goods over to Charles.

"_Merci_," he nodded and accepted the tray.

"So, you made your own anti-Fae and anti-demon weapons?" Iclyn sat down on the floor next to him while Audrey kept herself at a distance. "Except for Audrey's migraine, it's kinda cool. What did you make?"

"Well, the dagger is already its own thing. Still not sure how _mon père _landed on it. Didn't work for him against Quasimodo, but I did manage to repel some Fae spell." Charles started rummaging through his satchel, leaning it so that Iclyn could see inside it but not pull anything out to alarm Audrey. "Throwing blades, a retractable bo staff, nunchaku with electrifying chains… My book on demonology history and my scrapbook on witches and demons… My only exposure is from the Isle; I don't have full knowledge, but I try to come up with random stuff just in case anything could happen. You know… Fae repellant with a mixture of marigolds, primroses, garlic, clovers, berries, bread, and obviously iron lacing… Liquid nitrogen with a high concentration of holy water… Some throwing stakes… A container full of ten different types of dog poop… A universal remote…"

"A universal remote?"

"What? I'm paranoid about the idea of a TV-headed demon." Charles shrugged. "Nasal and ear plugs, you know, in case somebody wants to make me smell or put something in my ear… Honestly, my list goes on… Oh, I forgot! My inhaler!" Charles pulled out a black-colored inhaler with a purple flame motif and took a whiff out of it.

"You got asthma?" Iclyn asked.

"No. Let's just say that Frollo still has his old fireplace troubles. Sends smoke everywhere and the chimney goes through the attic. I'd get puffs of smoke and flying ashes when I tried sleeping." As if to spite him, one of the Parademons spit some smoke out of its mouth, a great quantity of it flying by Charles' nose and leading him to cough uncontrollably. Audrey spit the tea out of her mouth when she spotted red drops coming out of Charles' mouth and staining the gazebo's wooden floor. Before she could shout anything, 'Vincent' ripped off the smoke-spitter's head off and threw it into the lava pond. A cold glare from Audrey was enough to send them flying away.

"Charles?" She quickly rushed by his side while Iclyn urged Charles to drink some tea.

"_Je vais bien…_" Charles sighed once he was done with his tea. "I'm fine. This happens to me frequently. I'll…" It didn't help that he was coughing violently.

_Take him to a doctor, _Alastor's voice rung in Audrey's mind. _He needs a doctor for his respiratory problems._

_I see that. Why you care confuses me. I thought you warned me against him._

_Indeed. He is a dangerous child, but a useful one at that. You will need his protection during the rest of your trip. I insist, my Queen, that you give him the medical attention he needs._

"Iclyn, Charles needs to see a doctor," Audrey said.

"I don't need a doctor!" Charles protested.

"Charles, did you even meet a doctor when you were living on the Isle? Did you even go see one in Auradon?" Audrey shook her head. "Iclyn, are there any doctors in Villainapolis that can help him?"

"The bloodbender Hama is the best shot if you pay her well." Iclyn bent down and lifted Charles in her arms, nearly cradling him like a child. "Maybe fix up his veins and use her healing water to soothe that pain. Won't stop the coughing, but at least he'll slow down on it. Dude, how much do you weigh? I feel like I'm lifting a teddy bear with only half the stuffing!" Her comment made Charles hug on to his satchel.

A Parademon came flying in, bowing and grunting something to Audrey. "Seriously, DaVinci? OK, I'll see what I can do. Let her inside."

"What happened?"

"Queen Blackfire is at the front door and wants to see me."

"What for?"

"Well, I hope it's not to kill me. I don't want to see what Alastor will come up with if his first and only client dies before fulfilling a contract."


	29. Queen of Mean (Queens' Remix)

Chapter 29: Queen of Mean (Audrey and Blackfire's Remix)

The throne room was both exquisite and insane in Audrey's perspective.

Black-and-white tiles covered the floor in geometric patterns, the maroon walls had glittery gold patterns of magnolia flowers, the marble pillars were constricted by vines of melted gold and rose quarts flowers, and the chandelier of ruby droplets and pink diamonds almost made it look like blood and pink lemonade were going to rain over. The throne room's single window fit an entire wall and majestically depicted a red stag and pink phoenix facing each other, both fashioned in art nouveau. Between two porcelain vases of cherry blossoms, two thrones stood out, both made of polished black wood and velvet cushions, one of rose and feather carvings and the other fashioned like a mountain of deer bones.

If Audrey didn't know any better, the interior designers among the Parademons and Paradooms really anticipated for the Radio Demon to move in.

_Such admirable work on their part_, Audrey heard Alastor. _A bit too extravagant, compared to my own humble domain in Hell._

_Well, you tell them you have no intentions of going through with it. I have bigger problems than your opinions on interior design. _

"There she is!"

Audrey nearly tripped when the doors opened and Blackfire stepped in first, practically screaming in glee and confetti flying everywhere. Iclyn was adjusting Charles on one of the couches at the corner of the room, shielding him with her blazer so he wouldn't get a cold.

"Queen Blackfire! What a surprise!" Audrey couldn't believe she was employing the old trick in the book she had learned back when she was a princess. To grin and bear it and keep a smile on her face. If she was lucky enough, Blackfire would go easy on her.

"The things you underwent in the past 24 hours!" Audrey didn't have time to react when Blackfire practically constricted her in a 'congratulations' hug. "I knew it the moment you first challenged Lokisdottir that you were one of greatness! Now look at you! First turf war and already among the greatest! Everyone on this side of the world, alive and dead, are talking about the Queen of Mean's rise of power! Why, when I rode on my limousine to come see you, I spotted at least ten shops selling action figures and a mural on the Northside! Everyone LOVES the Queen of Mean!"

"Splendid…" Audrey almost choked for air the moment Blackfire let go of her.

"And to boot it all, everyone is talking about how a first-time all-star like yourself summoned ALASTOR THE RADIO DEMON! The most unattainable of all the demons! I'm so envious! Not even my own daughter could achieve this!"

"Ah, that." Audrey clasped her hands together. "About that…"

"I know what you're thinking!" Blackfire's grip landed on Audrey's shoulder. Even though it was one of those friendly grips, Audrey could still feel the tightness. "I know, it's not easy. You just got out of an oppressive country, you still have a deal to agree on with your devil, and most importantly, THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY!"

"Excuse me?" Audrey managed to pull away from the grip.

"I know! And that's why you got associates within the Villainapolis head honchoes to help you ought!" Blackfire snapped her fingers. Two Tamaran servants came in, carrying one of those journal paper pad presentations and a stick. Apparently, Blackfire must have spent hours scrapbooking the entire pad with markers, pictures, and calendar dates.

"What is happening?" Audrey whispered to Iclyn as Blackfire snapped orders at her servants.

"This… is what happens when one of the head honchoes of Villainapolis has a kid who is associated to a newbie all-star. TOTAL desire to get on the all-star's good graces," Iclyn muttered back. "But thanks to that little curse of yours? She sees your betrothal as a way to improve her connections. Probably hoping that through the future Mrs. Alastor, her business will thrive even more with a demonic network."

"Mrs… Oh, no!" Audrey shook her head. "I am _not _having some stranger act like my relatives! I'm putting my foot down!" Audrey shook her head and politely walked up to Blackfire. "So. Queen Blackfire. There's something…"

"Wrong with my underpaid buffoons, I know!" Blackfire rolled her eyes and used her stick to point at her paper pad. "Obviously, you need to contact Lydia Deetz to organize the Demonic Contract Ceremony..."

"Well yes, but…"

"You're obviously underaged. Come to think of it, when will your eighteenth birthday be? Oh well, he's immortal. I'm sure he can wait until you're an actual adult; I know Lydia Deetz would murder any adult who tries to marry a child."

"I can imagine, but about that…"

"I know! It gives at least a couple of years to plan out the permanent location of the human HQ of his radio station in Villainapolis, will this castle -FYI, very nice design- be the permanent abode or will he transition between Hell and Earth, and finalizing the plans for the wedding! Venues, guests… Forget guests, this is something EVERYONE will have to attend! We'd have to contact Willy Wonka, he makes the best wedding cakes, I know that Noir can come up with thousands of different wedding dress designs! I've already had her thinking of materials! Obviously white elk fur trimmings; he died in the 1930s, so maybe a close to 1920s styled dress would be suitable! Did your subjects already build a masters' chamber, plural version FYI? Because I don't know if the Radio Demon is old-fashioned enough to follow the old-rated traditions of marriage consummation and…"

That was too much for Audrey to handle. All of the alien queen's rambling did was remind Audrey of a wasted lifetime, courtesy of her family. A lifetime of being told what kind of princess she had to be. A lifetime of being told that she had to be the next queen of Auradon. A lifetime of being surrounded by sycophants. A lifetime of plans that ended up being all for nothing and people saying it was her fault when she had no control. Being molded for a destiny that wasn't even hers was bad enough. Being cursed before birth had been a relative shock. But listening to the ramblings of a stranger who was so determined to get on her good side, she wanted to spend years planning on an event that both client and demon disagreed on. And Audrey was pretty certain she could hear Alastor's disgusted laughter when… No, everything else was bad enough! But Blackfire bringing up the stuff that followed marriage?

"WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY?" Audrey's scream was loud enough to successfully shatter the throne room's window. Seeing as she hit a nerve, Blackfire had her servants leave, taking the presentation and stick with them. Audrey took some deep breaths, not wanting the Queen of Mean to come out and destroy the castle. "Look, Queen Blackfire. I appreciate the hospitality you've displayed since I first came to Villainapolis and it's… interesting how you try to be… helpfully involved," Audrey tried to sound as patient as possible, "but the fact is that the Radio Demon and I are strictly prioritizing the contract fulfillment. None of us are interested in proceeding with the arrangement that Penna De Mort went for. Associates? Maybe. But arranged marriage? Absolutely not."

"In fairness, Queen Blackfire, Audrey has a point," Iclyn tried to intervene. "They…"

"The queens are talking here." Blackfire kept herself calm, but the deadly cold tone she was using against Iclyn could have murdered someone.

"Caution, Your Highness." Iclyn got dangerously cold-toned as well. "I am in your daughter's gang and I respect her, but that level of respect isn't shared with you."

"It's a shame I can't just _melt you off_. People would think that you and your mother would be weakened by fire, but obviously not…"

"There's a reason she's Killer Frost and you're Blackfire. Her frost kills people and your fire only rivals the blackness of your heart…"

Audrey felt like slapping herself. How could she have forgotten that despite the attention and praises she had received lately, she was still surrounded by villains? Villainapolis was a thousand times more chaotic than Isle, the supervillains had daily access to advantages and luxuries the Isle villains had been denied, and despite acting like cussing sophisticates, the Villainapolis denizens would still try to murder one another. The fact that Blackfire and Iclyn were threatening each other said something.

"All Iclyn was saying is that we appreciate the help you're trying to provide!" Audrey stood between them. "I mean, between independent women, we're all very open to our thoughts! Anyway, thank you very much but Alastor and I aren't interested in going beyond the professional level."

It was a strange moment of 30 seconds. Blackfire's calm behavior made it seem like Audrey's words got into her head. Then the alien queen's calm expression turned into an amused one that started laughing her maniac heart out to the point where she had to bend down and hold her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably and somehow, Charles was more focused on cuddling himself in a blanket than responding.

"Wow." Iclyn was shocked. "I haven't seen her laugh since her sister actually tried to invite Blackfire and Noir for a Tamaran coming-of-age ceremony."

"It was that bad?" Audrey frowned.

"No, Blackfire was laughing while fighting her sister and destroying a whole borough in New Heroes."

"Right." Audrey kept frowning at Blackfire as the latter stopped laughing and regained her composure. "I don't see what's hilarious. You think it's funny that I don't want to be saddled with someone I have to work out a problem with?"

"Of course not!" Blackfire laughed. "I just find it humorous that you'd even consider your demon's opinions! Not that they really matter."

Audrey's frowned worsened. Blackfire didn't think that Alastor's opinions mattered? "Why wouldn't they?" Audrey questioned.

"Because A, you're the client and he's not, so you're in control." Blackfire held up her purple nail polished fingers. "B, you summoned _him _and not the other way around, so he's _obliged _to listen to you. And C, knowing the unbreakable paperwork Lady De Mort uses, even an Overlord like himself can't destroy an unbreakable curse. So yes, regardless if he wants to or not, he's bound to you. If it works out, mazel tov for both of you, and if not, who cares? You're the one wearing the pants anyway."

Now Audrey _really _didn't like where this was going.

"What kind of hypocritical, misandrist shit is this?" Iclyn exclaimed. "You think an almighty demon who can kill two hundred of souls in one day only has value as a boy toy to a human queen? What is this, 20th century radicalization?"

Is that what was happening? Audrey didn't know if she should be confused or disgustingly shove Blackfire out the door. _A boy toy to a human queen_? For some reason, Blackfire almost seemed like the reverse of Queen Leah. Queen Leah had enforced the belief that Audrey HAD to become Auradon's next queen, but the topic of Ben's feelings was never brought up; Blackfire, on the other hand, fully encouraged Audrey becoming her own queen but seemed to see the latter's 'arrangement' to Alastor as nothing more than a network ticket. And Blackfire didn't think the demon's opinions were relevant.

_I would appreciate it if you'd let me cut off her spleen._ Not only could Audrey hear Alastor hissing angrily, but she was certain that she could feel his _anger _boiling and tangling with her own.

_I'll take care of it._

"Queen Blackfire, I… can see you have your own opinions on the matter, but I will have to openly disagree with them," Audrey tried to be patient, but the mixed angers within her really wished to throw a pillar at her.

"I understand…" Blackfire nodded solemnly. "Good thing I came prepared!" She eagerly snapped her fingers, and just like that, some Tamaran servants barged into the throne room with guitars, drums, keyboards, and anything needed for pop music. The room suddenly darkened and a purple fire rose on a stage that appeared out of nowhere. Blackfire stood out in an out-of-this-word black and purple concert suit while the purple spotlight focused on her.

"Oh, no…" Audrey groaned.

"New Wave Pop musical intervention. Get ready." Iclyn grimaced.

Blackfire: _The Queen's done pretending._

_Some business needs attending!_

Just as the music got more vibrant, Blackfire dragged Audrey to the stage.

Blackfire: _The Queen of Mean took a stand._

_She showed who's the real boss in the land!_

_Shouted sayanora to the Auradon babies_

_And work with the real evil hunkies!_

_She made the call, no given name,_

_And the demon came, it's all the same!_

_He kills for sport, souls in the fiery pit!_

_He's a maniac, but still sexy and ya know it!_

_It was easy to gain, to tricks or spells._

_We're bound to hear wedding bells!_

_But Queenie here, like ten crazy hatters,_

_Says that his opinion matters?_

Blackfire pulled Audrey for a twirl while the music continued and psychedelic, though primarily purple, lights spun around them.

Blackfire: _I know I'm selfish and mean,_

_But trust me, little Queen,_

_Ya can't be a love-sappy teen._

_But you're getting it all,_

_Your personal devil; make him crawl!_

_You got the bad,_

_You asked for a devil on your shoulder,_

_You got the specialty!_

_Remember who is the queen!_

Audrey pulled away from Blackfire. Pink spotlights were now focusing her while Iclyn got distracted by Charles' coughing.

Audrey: _Lady, the situation's such a drag_

_And your attitude raises a red flag._

_Business must go on, I know that,_

_But you confuse work with riffraff._

_I rewrite my own destiny_

_And handle my way the animosity._

_Remember I'm the Queen of Mean,_

_Not the Radio Demon's bride._

_Your crazy dreams will wait until I have died._

Parademons and Paradooms flew in, catching Audrey as she did a stage dive and acting as her backup dancers while the psychedelic spinning lights came back with a pinker hue.

Audrey: _You are selfish and mean,_

_And trust me, you old Queen,_

_I'm no love-blinded teen._

_I'm the one getting it all,_

_But neither him or him will take the fall!_

_I don't have it bad,_

_I did ask for a devil on my shoulder,_

_Not the gold-digging royalty!_

_FYI, I am the queen!_

Blackfire just smirked in amusement. The purple and pink lights went wild during the queen's musical clash… and Charles coughing got worse.

Blackfire: _The kings had their fun_

_But the queens must take it to the sky._

Audrey: _I'm sorry, ma'am,_

_But you just want to watch them cry._

Blackfire: _Don't you want the power?_

Audrey: _I want the respect_

_But I don't like those who cower!_

Blackfire: _Have them all fear or love you!_

_You are royal now!_

Audrey: _Ha! If you only knew!_

Blackfire: _You are the sorceress!_

_An empress!_

Audrey: _It doesn't mean I'm heartless!_

Sparks flew everywhere, both from purple flames and pink magic as the queens kept clashing while the subjects kept on with the new wave musical choreography.

Subjects: _Queens get what they desire._

_Queens get to rule the world._

_Everyone sits back and learn_

_It's the Queen of Mean's turn!_

Audrey and Blackfire: _I'm selfish and mean, but a queen._

Blackfire: _A one-woman show like they've never seen!_

Audrey: _But morals justify the means._

_I'm not all that._

_I'm my own ruler of the dark and the bad._

'_Cause Alastor's on my shoulder_

_Where no angels used to be_

_And he still calls me his Queen of Mean!_

Blackfire: _A sight to be seen!_

Everyone: _Queens get what they desire!_

"HEY!"

The music dramatically stopped. Instruments dropped, the Parademons and Paradooms stopped dancing, and the lights turned back on to normal in the throne room. Iclyn was holding Charles in her arms. His arms hugged on to his satchel while his lips were stained with blood. The stains got worse as he coughed.

"CHARLES!" Audrey ran up to them.

"The poor cutie!" Blackfire approached as well, a sympathetic expression on her.

"HE'S BEEN COUGHING DURING THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR MUSICAL TRASH-TALK!" Iclyn exclaimed. "WE GOT TO TAKE HIM TO DR. HAMA, ASAP!"

_Somewhere else in Villainapolis_

By the time Blackfire helped Audrey and Iclyn bring Charles to the doctor, Kory Lokisdottir was in her penthouse above her casino, tapping her left fingers in frustration on the glass wall while her right hand held a mug of mead. She was frustrated that her hedonistic plan was taking a downturn.

Framing the Queen of Mean by killing Carlos De Vil? Too easy. Ensuring that Audrey got separated from her friends? Yep. Tantalizing the young Auradonian to unleash her anger so that her endless clash with the demigoddess could destroy parts of Villainapolis and endanger villains? HIGHLY entertaining. Honestly, her next ideas would have gone off with a hitch if there wasn't the sudden public exposure of the demonic, unbreakable betrothal.

"Still pissed by what happened?" Macy Beth, the only mortal that Kory Lokisdottir bothered to properly respect, came in from the elevator. She tossed a bone at Carmine, Kory's monstrous pet wolf. The large canine ripped through the elephant-sized femur while the Scottish-accented ginger blonde jumped on the sofa and served herself a mug of mead. "Knowing you, the lassie won't be easy to snatch."

"Maces, I've been alive for way too long and it's a miracle that no one really knows the true methods of how I stay alive, breathing, and powerful." Kory liked her lips. "It's why you and I are friends. You are the only person who sees my real face and not one that you despise."

"And I lack interest in many things unless it's bloody murder," Macy said. "So yeah, your life-sucking succubus powers don't affect me. It's fun to watch the wee souls squirm at your touch, never leave, be your restricted pets… and their essences end up in barrels for your mead. As for the rest…" Macy grinned and glanced back at Carmine as the wolf crunched through the bone. "That princess' powers… Her essence..."

"Her beauty," Kory added.

"Feasting on her would make you eternal enough to permanently destroy that never-performed contract of yours." Macy chuckled. "It's hilarious irony. You spent decades avoiding paying your end of the deal with a contract to the most disturbing of demons. She wants nothing to do with her betrothal to the most savage of demons but she wants to go through with a contract that has yet to be performed."

"She'll die before she even performs a Demonic Contract Ceremony, let alone marry." Kory took a sip of mead. "I would have taken all the time in the world, but now we only got a limited time. The Sugar Pie is one of those once-a-generation tickets. If I don't drain her out, I'll have to play the long game just like with every other mortal idiot I've eaten. Problem is, with that contract and arrangement of hers..."

"I thought the Radio Demon was against that kind of stuff." Macy frowned.

"Isn't that the sick thing with fate, nature, and prophetic curses?" Kory sighed with a venomous tone that caused her grip on her mug to tighten. "People mistake destiny beforehand. A destiny can be manipulated to change courses whereas a fate is permanently determined beforehand. The Sugar Pie is deviating away from her Auradonian culture; that's destiny. But her and the Radio Demon?" She crushed her mug, staining her green tiled floor. "You're right. He's not into that kind of 'stuff', but even a strong bond with the Sugar Pie will be enough to take things downhill! Suppose if they did go past agreeing on their contract? Suppose if she goes through what I never did and kept her end? Suppose if she and that _freak _do get a bond stronger than a contract? If she even _mates _with him before I get my hands on her, we can say bye-bye to the short route!"

"Don't tell me…" Macy groaned. "Why does nature make the most insane levels of power more supernatural with _purity_?"

"How should I know? We got to think something fast!"

A ringing caused the girls to yelp. Carmine stepped out of the cushion and looked at the green wolf telephone ringing violently.

"Seriously, who uses the landline before 11?" Kory rolled her green eyes and went to answer the phone, her fingers affectionately stroking her wolf's fur. "Nine Realms Club, the demigoddess Kory Lokisdottir herself speaking…"

"_ABOUT TIME!" _Kory fell on her butt when bolts of electricity sprung out of the phone, nearly burning her ears. Carmine grabbed her by the furry collar of her halter top and dragged her a few steps back. Macy jumped up, a couple of daggers at hand. "_WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER THE FIRST TIME YOU HEAR THE RING?_"

"Oh, it's just you." Kory rolled her eyes. Despite her tone's sarcastic nature, she was relieved that it was _that _demon and not the one she was purposely avoiding her contract fulfillment. "I hate to break it to you, but that is not Ultron's phone number. The numbers are the same, but his ends with 2015. Mine ends with 2011."

"_I'M AWARE, WITCH!" _The demon on the other line finally calmed down. "_Pay attention! I generally don't give a shit about the sort of things you semi-divine hybrids do upstairs, but I got a mandatory request for you. In exchange, you'll get a generous monetary donation for your casino AND a 24-hour security enforcement… for you to do what you want to do on that girl that kicked your ass on live TV._"

Kory and Macy exchanged a malicious glance. "I'm interested," Kory said. "But what's in it for you?"

"_30 seconds just after 6:30pm, a package will come to your facility with a particular weapon that can only be found in Hell's black markets. The moment you are done…_" The electric sparks created miniature fireworks on the phone. "…_with that girl, the __**second **__you are done with her, I want you to plunge the weapon into her skull!"_

Kory and Macy looked in shock at each other. A mere few minutes ago, they had been talking about ruining the Auradonian's perspective of innocence, probably give her a fate worse than death that would probably have the Radio Demon disgustingly reject her. Now another demon was talking about killing the Auradonian only a few seconds after Kory's idea of feasting, and if the girls knew anything about 'particular weapons that can only be found in Hell's black market', it was that any mortal soul killed by it wouldn't reincarnate in Heaven or Hell. It was like a second death before the first one.

"Kill the Queen of Mean?" Kory asked quietly. "Not exactly in my usual agenda… But then again, everyone has their flexibility. I am curious though. Why murder her? I would have thought that you'd be laughing your head off because the Radio Demon was betrothed to a mortal." Kory winked at Macy's direction at the words 'head off', getting a snicker from the Scottish teenager.

"_Because between her and me, only one of us can ensnare Alastor once and for all… It's not that I'm jealous, but… I DON'T LIKE OTHER PEOPLE TOUCHING MY THINGS! SO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND KILL HER BEFORE I DECIDE TO CALL IN THE IMP ON BOTH OF YOU!_" The moment the demon was done yelling and hung up, Kory's phone exploded, torching the black walls with red and blue flames. Kory was too stunned to react until Macy ran in with a fire hydrant and died out the flames with foam.

"Talk about a demon with a bad case of the green-eyed monster," Macy whistled. "And one with actual red eyes."

"Grab a chalkboard and help me plan!" Kory got up and dusted herself. "We got to find a weak spot to lure the Sugar Pie here before _tomorrow night! _And once I've feasted, you can do what you usually do best."


End file.
